Prep
by casabellax
Summary: Bella Swan. Generic small town girl with her own way of going about things. Riverside Prepatory School. Snarky girls and drama are just the tip of the iceberg. Edward Cullen... enough said. OOC/AU/AH RATED FOR SMALL LEMON S
1. Preface

**Author's Note: Howdy everyone. I had a different preface, but that was before I knew where everything was going. This is short, but I know how the story ends now. I hope you enjoy **

**Disclaimer: I don't own all things Twilightyyy**

**Preface**

The wind whipped my hair around me as I stared into the hungry eyes of my enemy. How had I known it would come to this? But I couldn't regret the actions that brought me here, and brought me the most wonderful component of my life.

My enemy stepped forward, body crouching down, preparing for attack. Automatically, my foot stepped backwards. I was cornered, with nowhere left to go. Forwards to my death, backwawrds to my death. I only hoped it was worth it.

I wouldn't hear the end of it from my family. I didn't plan to last long. Everything would turn out for the better. This I had accepted long ago.

It's hard to believe in the imaginary. But what happens when the imaginary becomes reality?

**Author's Note: Reviews are muchos welcome...os... yeah! I enjoy this preface. I hope you do too**


	2. One: Moving Up

**Disclaimer: Sup. These characters? Not mine. I wish. But they're not. I'll keep dreaming. They belong to Stephenie Meyer yo. YO YO IM GHETTO. Okay now get reading my Chapter 1 and stop reading this disclaimer. I GOT MY POINT ACROSS DIDN'T I? NOW READ!**

**Chapter 1: Moving Up**

_I hated Edward Cullen. I hated him since I lay my poor, innocent eyes on him._

_I knew what to expect from a boarding school, but I hadn't expected him to make it that much worse. My first day had gone from bad to worse._

"Ch-Dad, I'll be fine," I repeated for the seven millionth time, rolling my eyes. I hugged my arms around me, a cool breeze whipping my hair around me.

"Are you sure, Bells? You know you don't have to come here, you could stay at Forks High School, finish it out," Charlie looked at me, pleading.

"Sorry dad, but I've got my mind set. I'm not going to let this opportunity pass up– honestly, how often does your little girl get accepted into one of the most elite boarding schools in the country?" I smiled angelically. I had mixed feelings on this place, but figured that they would situate themselves eventually.

"Well, Forks isn't that far away, so I expect visits!" Sure, sure. Two hours, not a long drive at all. Charlie snatched up one of my steamer trunks, and I tossed my backpack over my shoulder, taking my other trunk. We slowly lugged my luggage towards the Henderson building. Charlie and I dropped my trunks, and I strode up to the front desk.

"Hello." I said brightly, flashing the man a grin. He smiled weakly back.

"Miss Swan, I presume?" He arched a brow.

"That's me! What room am I?" If Charlie fell for this false cheery act, I'd have to give myself a pat on the back. It wouldn't take much to change his mind on letting me finish out my junior year here.

When I sent out my application in late October to Riverside Preparatory School, I didn't expect to get a reply, let alone an acceptance. I had gone to Forks in the beginning of eleventh grade, and had started to settle in there. But on December 16th, I got a reply from Riverside, and well, here I was.

"Miss Swan?" The man behind the desk– I peeked at his name tag, which read Ryan– waved a hand in front of me.

"Yes, sorry, what did you say?" I shook my head, clearing my mind.

"You're in room four-oh-six. Your roommate should be there, ready to help you unpack." Ryan smiled a little wider. He pushed a few forms towards me, which I grabbed.

"Thank you so much!" He nodded as I turned and grabbed my stuff, dragging it to the elevator.

I fumbled with my key, and finally opened my door. I dropped my trunk on my foot, grunted in disgust and hurt, and shielded in my eyes, in that order.

Because as soon as I opened the door, I wished I hadn't.

There was my roommate, on _my bed, _more than _half naked_, lip-locked with her boyfriend.

Her absolutely gorgeous, bronze haired boyfriend.

Charlie cleared his throat loudly. They didn't break apart.

"Good afternoon, roomie," I said loudly, my eyes glued to the ugly white tile floor, my arms crossed haughtily across my chest. They looked up.

"Ohmigosh, sorry. Hi, I'm Tanya Denali," Her voice was sickly sweet as she pushed her little friend off of her.

"You're on my bed." I snapped, not looking up. Oh god, oh god. This was _not_ happening.

Tanya let out a high pitched shriek as her boyfriend shifted slightly to look at me, and she was rolled to the floor. But I wasn't paying attention to her. My gaze had shifted from the floor to him.

His face was flawless, with a square jaw, and a sharp nose. His perfectly full lips we pulled up at one side in an amused crooked smile. His brilliant green eyes gazed at me with some sort of intensity, and I didn't really want to find out. His skin was pale, the same shade as mine. I couldn't help but feel my pulse quicken as I looked at him.

"Oh, this is Edward Cullen, my _boyfriend_." She emphasized the word boyfriend. I almost scoffed. As if I didn't already know that. I settled for rolling my eyes.

"Nice to meet you both," I said, my tone sickly sweet as hers.

"Now if you don't mind, I'd really like my bed so I can sanitize it. Kind of a germ-a-phobe." I shuddered for effect. Edward rolled off of it, grabbing his pants and a shirt.

"You're Isabella Swan, right?" Tanya drawled, tossing her dress over her head, and pulling it down.

"I prefer Bella," I answered coldly. I heard someone knock quickly on the door.

"What's up Tanya?" I heard a voice call out behind me. A beautiful blonde girl had stuck her head in.

"Just got a little surprise," Tanya replied in her drawl. I wondered mildly where she was from. The blonde nodded, her icy blue eyes wandering over to me. She offered me a small smile, which I reluctantly returned. Anyone who was in cohorts with this Tanya person, I didn't want to deal with.

"I'm Rosalie Hale," The blonde greeted softly. My gaze drifted off towards Charlie, who was looking awkwardly at the floor, standing by my trunks.

"I'm Bella." I responded simply, walking over to Charlie. I shrugged apologetically, and opened one of my trunks, searching for my bedding. I lay the folded sheets on my bed, before grabbing my key, and taking Charlie's wrist, leading him past Rosalie, out of the dorm.

"Bella, I don't like the look of that Tanya girl," Charlie started. I shook my head.

"Me either. But I'll deal with it Don't worry about me. And if I have any problems, expect a phone call to pick me up!" I grinned, patting him on the shoulder. He sighed, resting both of his large hands on my shoulders.

"Don't be afraid to call, Bells. I'm here for you. I expect to see you at least once before spring break!" He hugged me, and I planted a kiss on his cheek. I watched him drive off, waving the entire way.

"So, Bella Swan, the new girl," A velvety voice greeted me as I closed the door to my room. I turned around, and saw Edward.

"Hello." I said curtly, starting to make my bed.

"Want some help with that?" He asked, looking at me. I didn't look back.

"I'm alright, thanks," I continued in the same clipped tone. He didn't listen, and stretched his arms out quickly fitting my sheets to the bed. He finished by plumping my pillows with a flourish, and I plopped on my newly made bed.

"Why thank you, Edward Cullen," I said, amused. He flashed me his crooked smile again, sitting next to me.

"You're welcome, Bella Swan," He winked. I rolled my eyes. I could already tell this guy was bad news. He was hitting on me with his girlfriend just out of sight.

"Where's your _girlfriend?_" I asked. He shrugged.

"She went to Rosalie's room. I expect she'll be back soon... but I was under the impression you didn't want her around," He smirked, shrugging again.

"But what do I know?" Edward looked innocently at me. I hated his piercing, beautiful green eyes.

"Perceptive, aren't you?" I spat, jumping up tugging on his toned arm. I heard a tiny cough from the doorway, and released my grip immediately. I stared at Tanya. Her strawberry blonde curls nestled on her overly tanned back, her ice blue eyes almost the same color as Rosalie's. They were narrowed dangerously as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Edward, I think I should have some alone time with my new roommate," Tanya stated, her voice borderline murderous. Edward raised his hands in mock surrender, standing up. She watched icily as he brushed past me, and before she shut the door on him, he managed to wink at me. I almost gagged.

"Why were you flirting with my boyfriend?" Tanya demanded, her ice blue eyes shooting daggers at me.

"Excuse me? If you consider my telling him to get the hell away from me flirting, then sure. But our definitions of flirting are certainly different." I hissed. "And I suggest you treat your boy toys with a little more respect, or you'll find yourself alone," I added venomously. She rolled her eyes, unable to compose a comeback. I smirked, sinking onto my bed, looking up at the ceiling.

After a few minutes, Tanya announced she was going to take a shower, and disappeared. I slowly sat up, and decided that I would take my chances with this Rosalie girl.

As soon as I knocked on the door, I regretted it. I was about to talk to a supermodel in the making, and I didn't know what to say. Rosalie opened the door, and smiled weakly at me.

"Hi Bella. Come in," She said, opening the door a little wider.

"Thanks Rosalie. Sorry I was sort of... cold... earlier. I found Tanya and her boyfriend on my bed, and obviously, I was upset." I shrugged lightly, stepping into her room. Rosalie's roommate was looking curiously. I felt a blush creeping to my cheeks.

"Hi Bella!" She nearly screamed, causing me to jump.

"I'm Alice Brandon!" Rosalie's roommate sang, leaping up and prancing over to me. She enveloped me in a tight hug before stepping back, and taking a good look at me. I did the same.

She had cropped black hair which stood up in spikes. Her eyes were dark brown, and glistening with excitement. She was petite, and thin to the extreme. She was the basic opposite of Rosalie, with long blonde hair waving to her lower back, a taller, fuller figure, and light blue eyes. My mahogany hair and chocolate brown eyes were nothing compared to them. Just a plain Jane.

"Sorry about Alice, she's a little... excited," Rosalie said with a small shrug. Alice scoffed, and tugged on my wrist. "I suppose she thinks you're a new shopping buddy." Alice blushed.

"A new friend, more like," She muttered, shaking her head. I smiled, taking an immediate liking to this bubbly pixie. Alice dragged me to her bed.

"Sit and tell me about yourself," She demanded, folding her legs under herself on her desk.

"What is this, an interview?" I snickered before continuing. "I'm Bella Swan, seventeen years old, I've never had a boyfriend and I don't think I like my roommate, and I _know_ I don't like her boyfriend. He's a jerk." I concluded, gagging a bit. Alice burst into laughter, and Rosalie pursed her lips.

"Edward isn't that bad. I suppose Tanya's rubbing off on him," She mused, combing her fingers through her thick blonde hair. Alice rolled her eyes, as I shifted my gaze to my hand. I realized I was still clutching the forms Ryan had handed me. I unfolded them, and stared at my schedule.

"Oh, what classes do you have with me?" Alice squealed happily. She looked over my shoulder, and her happy demeanor faded. "Only Government and Trigonometry... you have Gym with Rose, and oh!" She clasped a hand over her mouth, erupting into a fit of giggles. "You have Biology with Edward," Alice teased, letting her giggles loose. I rolled me eyes, feeling my stomach sink.

"Any classes with Tanya?" I asked, praying that the answer was no.

"Yeah, Trigonometry. But that's it," She added hastily, seeing my look.

We were chatting happily about what to expect tomorrow in class when the door burst open.

"Rosie?" A sickly sweet voice complained. "Have you seen– oh there she is." Tanya glared at me. Great, she probably thought I was trying to steal her best friend too. I waved a hastened goodbye, before leaving their room. Sure enough, Tanya interrogated me as soon as we were in the privacy of our room.

"So you think you can steal my best friend, huh?" She shot at me.

"I was under the impression I was just meeting people." I answered calmly, digging through my trunk. I felt a hand clawing into my upper arm. I turned to tell her to get the hell off, when she spoke menacingly.

"You better watch your back– you chose the right person to be jealous of. Because I have it all. And you _won't_ steal it from me. New girl." She spat, whirling around and stalking to her desk to primp her damp curls. I rolled my eyes, grabbing my shower necessities and my pajamas before I headed off towards the floor bathroom.

I let the warm water cascade down my back. I sighed, letting it wash away my worries. Tanya, Edward, and tomorrows classes melted away. But as soon as I turned off the water, they rushed back to me. I rested my head against the side of the shower stall, taking a deep breath. I wrapped myself in a towel, not allowing myself to panic.

Once I dressed, I walked slowly back to my room, and opened my door.

"Can't you unglue your lips for more than an hour?!" I cried in exasperation, shutting my eyes. Yet again, Tanya and Edward were lip locked, but fortunately, it was on her bed. Edward pushed her away, looking at me. His green eyes twinkled.

"Why? Do you want to give it a try...?" Edward raised one of his perfect brows, and ran his tongue along his lips. I couldn't shut out the small voice in the back of my head telling me eagerly to agree. "I don't bite..." He winked. Tanya slapped him, trying to be playful, but her face contradicted this action. Thus, her slap was a bit harder than intended.

"Ow, Tanya, what was that for?" Edward asked, tearing his eyes away from me. I dumped my shower supplies on the floor at the foot of my bed, and snatched my comb, dragging it through my hair. I noticed in the mirror that Edward was watching me from the corner of his eye.

"For trying to seduce my new roommate! You might scare her off!" I noticed the slight hopefulness of her tone. I smirked, deciding to play that game.

"Oh Tanya, you don't have to worry. How could I get scared off by a silly boy such as Edward?" He smiled seductively at me. I cursed myself for finding it completely sexy. "You have nothing to worry about," I reassured her lightly, flopping down in my bed. I turned on my side, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to block out the agitated whispers behind me. I eventually drifted off into an uneasy sleep, my arms wrapped protectively around myself.

When Edward left the room about ten minutes later, I swore he let his fingertips trail along my backbone. I shuddered involuntarily, but Tanya didn't notice. She shut out the lights, and snuggled deeper into her covers, murmuring.

I hated Edward Cullen. Why? Because I was already falling for the scumbag.

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**A/N: Poor Edward. DAMN THAT H8R. But it had to be that way. Keeps the story interesting. So uh, yeah, review? Pleaseandthanks :D**


	3. Two: Inquiry

**Disclaimer: Sorry I don't own these Characters. I wish I did. I keep dreaming and praying-- God isn't on my side. Very unfortunate, this is.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Inquiry**

The next morning greeted me with a loud shriek. I groaned, tossing over in my bed. And I was having such a good dream...

"ISABELLA!" Her voice shattered my peace. I plugged my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. That didn't help at all. She stormed over to me, and ripped my covers back.

"Excuse me, I want to sleep," I snapped, pulling my covers back.

"It's six fifteen, lazy ass. Classes start at seven thirty. AND WHY DID YOU SHATTER MY MIRROR? I mean, I already know how you did it, just look at you, but WHY MINE?!" Tanya huffed, her arms crossing in front of her chest as she glared at me. I gaped back at her.f

"Last time I checked, it's our mirror, because it's on the back of our door," I started, looking at her with a bemused expression. "And it's not even broken, it's just a teeny crack" I added, nodding towards the mirror mounted on the back of the door. Sure enough, there was a small crack not even a quarter of an inch long. Way to make a mountain out of a molehill.

"You think you're so clever. But I know you did it!" Tanya continued, yelling at the top of her voice.

"Well, now that you've successfully awakened the entire building, I think I'll get ready for class." I rolled out of bed, smirking to myself.

This year was going to be very, very fun.

I draped my backpack over the back of me seat, letting out a wide yawn. Impossibly, I hated Tanya this morning even more than I hated her last night. I stared blankly at the board for a few moments, waiting for the other students to arrive. Five minutes later, Mr. Hall called me to the front of the class to introduce myself. After tripping over my own feet and having my cheeks turn beet-red, I managed to stand in front of the teachers desk, my hands shaking nervously.

"I'm Bella Swan, and I'm from Forks," I said quickly, turning to return to my seat. I stepped on my shoelace, and stumbled forward. My face grew even redder, the blush creeping along my ears and down my neck. I sat down gratefully in my chair, letting my hair fall around my face so I wouldn't have to meet the many stares of my classmates. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, and letting it out slowly. It would be a long day, and I knew it. I sprang out of my seat as soon as the bell rang, having not payed any attention to what Mr. Hall was lecturing.

"Homework for tonight, two paragraphs summary on the first four chapters of _Wuthering Heights,_" So that's what we were focusing on. I hurried from the class, looking at the floor.

Of course, even when my eyes were glued to my feet, I would manage to trip over something. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the floor. But the contact never came. A pair of pale, strong arms were wrapped around my waist, holding me. I twisted around and looked into the face of my savior, preparing a slew of thank yous. But it was for nothing. I narrowed my chocolate eyes as they stared into emerald ones. Edward smirked.

"A thank you would be nice, Bella Swan, the new girl," He said lazily, setting me on my feet.

"Thank you," I mumbled before turning and stalking off to Government. I heard a musical chuckle behind me, and froze. I closed my eyes, and shook my head, before continuing towards my next class.

"What's eatin' ya?" Alice asked as soon as I slammed my books down on the desk next to her.

"English was horrible, I tripped about four times. And then again in the hallway, and guess who caught me?" I fumed, ripping open my notebook.

"Edward? Oooh!" She exclaimed, giggling. I shot her a look, and the giggling ceased. "And that's so bad because...?" She pressed, looking anxiously at me.

"He's an arrogant jerk." I explained shortly, glaring at my notebook. I knew Alice would say something else, but the teacher began to speak at that moment.

"Why do you hate him so much?" She whispered after about thirty minutes. I knew she had been itching to ask for ages, but couldn't find the opportunity. Now we were paired up and starting on a worksheet.

"I told you. He's an arrogant jerk. And he was hooking up with my roommate on _my_ bed." I seethed, scribbling an answer down.

"I think you should give him a chance," Alice mumbled. I froze. "Bella, get over it. He's trying to be nice to you, I think. And he's not nice to just everyone." She continued, looking down at my sheet, then copying my answer.

"Last night he asked if I wanted to make out with him. Because that's just _so_ nice. I'll give him a chance if he stops being a gross, selfish asshole, AKA, never." I concluded, scribbling another answer. "So just drop it Alice, okay?" I closed my eyes again, trying to calm myself.

"Sheesh, defensive much?" Alice murmured to herself. I sighed, opening my eyes and looking at her.

"Look, I'm sorry about all that, but it's just... Edward really touches a nerve." I sighed again, completing the worksheet. I passed it to Alice, who copied my answers. I could have sworn she was muttering under her breath. I caught a few words, like _denial... couple... Edward_. I rolled my eyes. Alice would never get over it.

The bell rang, and Alice and I stood in silence, and started towards Trigonometry.

"Hey Bella," A musical voice greeted me in front of Trigonometry. A pained cough followed his words. He was giving Tanya a hug– I was shocked that there was no face action.

"Hello." I said shortly, not looking at him. Alice chortled. I ignored her as well. Tanya left Edward's embrace, and I followed her into class. Or at least, I started to follow her, when a hand caught my arm, and turned me to face him.

"Bella, why do you hate me?" Confusion was etched all over his beautiful face, as his green eyes bored into mine. I scoffed, but I couldn't bring myself to twist out of his grasp again.

"Because you're an arrogant, selfish jerk," I mumbled, looking away. He laughed quietly, releasing his grip. I turned away, walking quickly, and stumbling. And again, he caught me. "Thank you," I muttered reluctantly, hearing him laugh again.

"Just try not to trip, because I might not be there to catch you next time. See you tonight," Edward waved a little at me, before gracefully exiting the classroom, not even glancing at Tanya, his _girlfriend_. I sighed, sitting down next to Alice, who had breezed past me during my encounter with Edward. She leaned towards me, wiggling her brows.

"So Bella, Edward doesn't seem so arrogant and gross anymore, does he?" She giggled, but I just stared at the board, feeling my cheeks steadily darken. "Ah, young love," Alice continued wisely. I smirked, not looking at her still. I had the satisfaction of Tanya twisting in her seat to glare at me. Mr. Turner spotted it, and she reluctantly returned her attention to the front. I snickered, and Alice gladly joined me, but I doubted it was for the same reason. We passed the class with murmurs about Tanya, and all too soon, the bell rang.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever enjoyed math class more," I told Alice, laughing. She bobbed her head energetically, before waving as she headed off to gym, and I walked away towards Spanish. I heard Alice squeal happily, she probably spotted Rosalie. I didn't pay attention to what she was saying, or to whom she was talking to. I just continued down the hall, minding my own business.

Spanish was horrible. Almost as bad as English. I didn't have Alice to talk to, so I resorted to staring at my notes. My disgusting, ugly notes. But my mind was elsewhere. Some place that was not at all horrible, ugly or disgusting.

I flared my nostrils, blowing my breath out sharply. How could I even be _thinking_ about Edward? Considering he was a pig, but such a beautiful pig. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to block out my thoughts.

"Miss Swan, I would appreciate your attention," My face did something strange. Instead of turning a violent shade of red, it paled. "Oh, I see you are not well. Would you like to go to the nurse?" She looked concerned. I nodded quickly, scooping up my books, and rushing out the door. Luck was on my side– I didn't trip.

I quickly walked across the campus to the infirmary building. Why it was on the other side, I had no idea. I slipped quickly in the doors, and looked around.

I wasn't the only student in the room– there was a huge, dark skinned boy in the room, being examined by one of the nurses. The other one sat behind a desk, and looked up at me.

"How can I help you, dearie?" She asked kindly, looking at my face, which was returning to it's normal color. "You look alright, looking for a reason to skip?"

"No, I just felt a little faint in class," I answered, my voice faint. Why was I here? I was just overreacting to Edward. Stupid, stupid Edward.

"Take a seat, I'll get you some water and a snack and you should be fine. Eat a big, nutritious lunch when I let you go, and you'll be healthy as a horse." I nodded, and sat down in a chair next to the russet skinned boy. He was staring at me.

"Hello..." I started, looking awkwardly at him. "Are you alright? You look a little uh, dazed."

"I'm fine," His voice was deep and husky, and his thick brows furrowed over his deep set dark eyes. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, reaching under his rather long, shiny black hair which was tied back with a leather strip. "I'm Jacob, by the way. Jacob Black," He shakily extended his other hand to me. I shook it, and his entire palm enveloped my hand. After a moment, he released his grasp, his dark eyes still on me.

"Bella Swan," I replied with a nod, turning my attention to the health posters around the room. I took the water and crackers the nurse offered me, and took a long drink. When I finished, I stood up, thanking them, and headed towards the door.

"I feel better too. I heal quickly." A husky voice behind me said, and I didn't have to look to know that Jacob had leapt up, and was following me out the door. He seemed pretty nice, despite the fact that he was starting to appear clingy.

"So, what brought you to the nurse?" I questioned him, raising my brows as we trudged across campus.

"I got burned my the Bunsen burner. Big hands. Little knobs." Jacob shrugged waving his large hand in front of my face, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Very nice. Next time you might have your partner do it for you." I suggested, shoving my hands in my jeans pockets.

"Interesting piece of advice. Just might take it." He nodded in approval, which got me laughing again. He grinned brightly at me.

"So, Bella Swan. What brings you to Riverside?" He asked me, looking genuinely interested.

"To be honest, I never thought I could be here. I'm from Forks– trust me, the rain there makes this place look like Death Valley at four o'clock," I chuckled, and he did as well.

"I know. I'm from La Push, the little Indian reservation about fifteen minutes from there. Your dad's chief Swan then? He's best friends with my dad," Jacob frowned slightly.

"I remember your sisters Rachel and Rebecca, but not you. I have a knack for blocking out some memories that aren't particularly happy. Like fishing with Charlie. I'm sorry for not recognizing you," I hoped he would forgive me.

"It's okay. My sisters will be uh... amused... that you'll be here," He said rather awkwardly, looking down at his feet. "In a good way," He added hastily. "So look, do you want to hang out or something tomorrow night? As friends, not in a date, because I'm probably too young and all..." He started to ramble.

"No, no, that's fine. How about we go see a movie? Ever seen _The Forty Year Old Virgin_?"

"Smuggling me in to an R-rated movie? I'm appalled, Bella!" He said in mock horror, tentatively resting his uninjured hand on my arm.

"They won't care, you look older than me. How old are you anyways?"

"Fifteen. Almost sixteen though," Jacob answered quickly. The bell rang shrilly, interrupting our conversation.

"Well, I'll see you at eight tomorrow night in front of the theater. Bye Jacob, it was nice seeing you again!" I waved a little, before bouncing off to the cafeteria. It was nice to have made a new friend– he even got me to stop thinking about Edward for a whole half hour.

I pushed open the doors, and spotted Alice waving me over eagerly. I grinned wider, walking over to her.

"Hey Bella! I think about half the school already heard about your little fainting feat. Is it true?" She asked, her eyes shining.

"Pretty much. I didn't faint, but I did have to go to the infirmary. I met this kid there, Jacob. We're going to the movies tomorrow night." Alice gasped. "Just as friends," I added hastily. She rolled her eyes, obviously not believing me.

"So, what is he like?" Alice pressed, looking even more excited, if that was possible.

"Huge." I stated honestly. She giggled.

"Sounds like Emmett," Alice said, rolling her eyes. "Emmett McCarty is Rose's boyfriend, by the way. You'll surely meet him soon enough. Ah yes, here they come," She smiled brightly at three figures making their way over. A tall blonde boy wrapped his arms around Alice's shoulders, giving her a squeeze. I noticed he had the same hair and eye color as Rosalie. Speaking of which, she was holding hands with this huge boy– Emmett. I smiled shyly at them all.

"Everyone, this is Bella Swan. She's the Devil's roommate." Alice introduced me, and Rosalie rolled her eyes. However, she didn't seem to mind Alice's comment that much. Alice's boyfriend smiled kindly at me.

"I'm Jasper Hale, Rosalie's twin," He kissed Alice on the top of her spiky hair.

"I'm Emmett McCarty!" Emmett boomed, patting me on my shoulder. My knees buckled, causing him to guffaw. I rolled my eyes, and stood up.

"I'm going to get some food... be right back," I strode quickly away, and Alice quickly caught up to me. "I'm okay Alice," I told her quickly. Alice shook her head.

"I'm getting food too, buddy,"

"Oh." She giggled as we waited in line.

I paid for my pizza and soda, and was about to return to our table before I froze, my knees starting to feel weak. Tanya and Edward were now seated there, Edward was deep in conversation with Emmett, who was sitting across the table. I noticed two empty seats– and one was next to Edward. Alice followed my gaze, and nudged me, giggling again.

"Alice, you giggle too much," I groaned, shuffling my feet towards the table. Alice quickly set her tray in the empty seat next to Jasper, leaving me to sit next to Edward. I moodily bit down on the straw of my soda as I took a long sip. I propped me chin on my hand, and my elbow on the table, as I pushed my slice of pizza around my plate.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Edward inquired. I hadn't noticed him staring at me– Tanya was talking to Rosalie, and Jasper, Alice and Emmett were having a heated argument about whether or not the pasta was whole grain. I shrugged, taking a small bite. Edward chuckled. "So I finally got the stubborn new girl to listen," He brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear, and where his skin touched mine, I felt as if it was burning like a million matches alight.

"Woohoo, have a party," I replied, taking another bite.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something like that. There's a party tomorrow night, sort of celebrating the start of the new semester. I was wondering if you were going," He looked a little embarrassed, and he looked at his hands, which were in his lap. Aw.

"I don't think so," I said slowly. What was this? Was _Edward_ inviting _me_ to a party?

"Oh," He looked downcast as he twiddled his thumbs. "Are you doing something else?" Why was he so interested?

"Yeah, I'm going to the movies with my friend," I responded quietly, looking at my lap as well. After a moment, I looked back to him. "Why are you asking me anyways?" I asked quietly. "I mean, you're going out with Tanya and all..." He looked back at me, his emerald eyes sparkling in the light.

"We're kind of in a fight. She wasn't happy about last night," Edward laughed his musical laugh quietly. "I guess my welcome was a little too friendly for her liking," I couldn't help but blush.

"You didn't seem happy either. As a matter of fact, you seriously hate me," He shook his head, frowning. "I don't really understand why," I shot him a look. I had already told him why. "Well, other than the arrogant, selfish jerk bit. But I've been trying to change myself." Edwards cheeks turned a very faint pink.

Edward Cullen was trying to change himself. Edward Cullen was blushing.

"I'm flattered, Edward," I snorted. He looked up at me, and stuck out his tongue, looking frustrated. He was so adorable when he was frustrated. He was so adorable all the time. I had a feeling my outing with Jake wasn't going to go as well as I could have hoped.

It was then that the bell rang, making us jump. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Tanya were all staring at us with their mouths open. I blushed furiously, before scooting out of my chair. Edward grasped my wrist, and I watched Tanya stalk away, fuming. I looked questioningly at Edward.

"From what I hear, you're going to Biology." Oh. Right. Biology with Edward. How fun. I was sure to make more of a fool of myself, but at least Tanya wouldn't be there to watch it. "I'd like to walk with you," He continued quietly, looking at me through his long lashes. He was giving me the choice. But how could I turn those perfect features down?

"Sure thing," I gasped, wrapping my arms around myself, as if I would fall apart if I let my arms go. Edward gave me that half smile that melted my heart. As if I needed it. He walked with me towards the Biology wing in a comfortable silence.

When we entered, everyone was already there, seated and chatting. There was only one empty table. Edward drifted to his seat, and began unpacking his supplies. I stood frozen at the entrance.

"Isabella Swan, correct?" Mr. Roche inquired from his desk at the front of the class.

"B-Bella" I stuttered. Damn, I knew I would make a fool of myself in front of Edward.

"Welcome to Riverside. Your lab partner will be Edward, I assume you already know each other, as you walked to class together." A wave of whispers erupted at his last sentence. I felt more blood rush to my cheeks as I nodded. I stumbled as I made my way to my seat, next to Edward. He chuckled softly, a thousand beautiful bells ringing. I started to feel faint again, as I took out my notebook. I crossed my arms tightly across my chest, and looked defiantly at the board.

Fifteen minutes into the hour, Mr. Roche told us to begin the lab. I hadn't been paying any attention, as all my efforts went into ignoring Edward. I turned reluctantly to him as he pulled a microscope nearer.

"So partner, ready to work with me?" He winked. I gagged, and he frowned. A blow to his self esteem– excellent. "What happened to the nice lunchtime chat?" Edward questioned me, grinning mischievously. I rolled my eyes.

"It went up my ass and around the corner," I sneered, pulling the microscope towards me. We were examining cells of Whitefish Blastula which were going through mitosis, and we had to differentiate between each phase. I slipped the first slide in, and peered through the lens.

"Metaphase."

"May I take a look?" I shoved the microscope towards him. Edward chuckled. "I mean may I look for our conversation." I looked at him, horror struck. What kind of invitation was that?

"That's not a very good pickup line," I scoffed, my face turning redder as I turned my head away from him. He was still chuckling, and I heard him pull the microscope closer to him.

"Yes, this is metaphase," he agreed, and I heard the scratching of pen on paper. I imagined an untidy scrawl, and was blown away when I turned back to him.

"Nice handwriting," I noted, nodding at his elegant script, my jaw hanging. Edward laughed quietly.

"No need to make fun of me," He said, switching the slides. "This one's prophase," Edward said, taking notes.

"I'm not making fun of you. I'm not _that_ mean. I actually think it's nice," I grinned cheekily at him. He peered anxiously at me, as if waiting for me to say _Gotcha!_

"Thanks," Edward switched the slides again.

"Anaphase." He wrote it down again.

"You going to let me do any of this work?" I asked, peering into the microscope, which was still in front of him.

Bad idea. He smelled so delightful, like sun and honey, and something else I couldn't quite place. I felt myself grow lightheaded as I took a deep inhale of the intoxicating scent.

"What is it Bella?" His velvety voice didn't break my trance.

"You smell delicious," I very near moaned, not realizing how foolish I was acting. Edward chuckled nervously.

"Thanks... but I meant what phase of mitosis is it..." Oh, crap. Crap, crap, crap. I just told Edward he smelled good. Crap!

"Uh, telophase," I said quickly, blushing impossibly more. He patted my hand gently, still chuckling. "Sorry about that other comment... I mean, you do smell good but... well, it was just that--" He cut me off.

"It's okay, Bella." The bell rang, and he stood up, and collected his books. He waited as I fumbled with the zipper of my backpack, before swooping down and knocking my hand gently out of the way. I inhaled sharply– his touch was like an electric shock to my skin.

"Sorry," He murmured, zipping up my bag, and offering it to me.

"Don't." I breathed, looking at him. When his eyes met mine, it was like our own little time bubble. There was no one else in the world, just Edward and I. A grin crept across his face, and I felt my cheeks burn.

"Swan, Cullen, get to class!" A loud voice interrupted our moment. I stood quickly, and started towards the door.

"Bye, stubborn new girl," Edward said, smirking as I passed him

"Bye, selfish pig," I waved at him, still grinning, and strode towards the Gym.

I was very nearly late to Gym. Good. I hated this class. Just another excuse to make a fool of myself by attempting to do a contact sport. I had little hand-eye coordination, let alone coordination in general. Rosalie smiled a little at me when I walked into the locker room.

"Hi Bella. Why are you late?" She asked, waiting for me while I changed.

"Uh..." I hesitated. Would she report back to Tanya? "Got held up in Biology with Edward." There. No lies.

"Interesting..." I could just hear the smirk in her voice. "With Edward, you say?" Rosalie giggled.

"You sound like Alice. Giggle twins," I muttered, following her back into the gym. I was immediately greeted by a group of buoyant boys.

"Rosalie!"

"Hey Rose!"

"Hi Rosalie!" I gave Rosalie a sidelong glance, and she looked like she wanted to jump off a cliff. I smiled.

"Hey Bella!" Well, that took my by surprise. Jacob was striding towards me. Oh. Jacob. Right. He was my friend. I was going to the movies with him tomorrow night. Edward had completely driven that out of my mind.

"Hey Jacob!" I grinned at him. I glanced around the room, and noticed a baby-faced boy glaring at Jacob. He had a glint in his eye, as if his emotions were going to burst.

"Alright kids! Basketballs– now!" Coach Creston clapped her hands together, blowing her whistle. I moaned. Basketball was probably the worst of the sports. I slowly edged towards the bleachers, trying to make my escape.

"Swan! Basketball!" Coach tossed me a ball– damn, there went my plans. I attempted to catch the dark orange menace, but it glanced off my hands and rolled away. I mumbled under my breath, cursing this woman to the deepest pits of hell.

I tried to dribble the ball, but it rolled away again.

I tried to pass the ball, but the ball bounced out of play.

I tried to shoot the ball, but it ended up in Jacob's face.

"Oh crap! Jacob! I'm really, really sorry! Oh god, crap!" I ran over to him, stumbling en route.

"Swan! Newton! Take Black to the infirmary." Coach Creston demanded. The blonde boy from earlier hurried over to me, and helped Jacob up.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Jacob said thickly. Blood was pouring from his nose. I froze, the room spinning. The scent of rust and salt overwhelmed me. "Wait, Bella? Woah, Bella? Bella?"

Then everything went black.

When I woke up, I was lying on my bed. I rubbed my forehead, turning to look at the clock. Five thirty. Dinner time. But my stomach still felt uneasy from the blood during Gym.

I reached across my desk for my laptop, pulling it towards me. I booted it up, and opened up my instant messenger, planning to tell Reene about it. She was all about the new "IM craze"at least, that's what she called it. However, a different name popped up onto my screen.

**madtracker12:** Hey Bella, you okay?

**bellsx5:** Who is this?

**madtracker12 has changed their name to arrogant pig**

**arrogant pig: **Got a clue?

**bellsx5: **Hi Edward. How did you get my screen name?

**arrogant pig: **I asked Rosalie.

**bellsx5:** I haven't given it out...

**arrogant pig: **Fine, I looked it up

**bellsx5: **Stalker

**arrogant pig:** I was interested

**bellsx5:** Stalker

**arrogant pig: **Can you blame me? You're the talk of the school.

**bellsx5: **Stalker.

**arrogant pig:** Is Tanya there?

**bellsx5: **Stalker. And no, she's not.

**bellsx5: **Why?

**arrogant pig has gone away**

**bellsx5: **Edward?

**Auto Response from arrogant pig: **Visiting Hours.

**bellsx5:** Evil child.

I closed my laptop just as Edward burst through my door with two bottles of unopened water.

"Hello. I thought you might want some water," He smiled angelically, offering me the water bottle. I accepted it, nodding in thanks. He sat down on my bed, next to my waist.

"So, what brings you here?" I asked him, taking a sip of my water. Edward smirked. "I know it's not your girlfriend, because I told you she's not here. Got a thing for the new girl?" I teased, taking another sip.

"You could say that," He replied with a shrug. I nearly choked.

"Oh. Interesting." Stupid arrogant pig. "So..." I started, awkwardly.

"You fainted...?" He asked, taking a drink of his own water. "And it wasn't even your own blood..." He shook his head. "Imagine if it happened to you. Or worse, if it happened to me." Edward gasped in mock horror. I rolled my eyes, but my mouth was full of water so I couldn't exactly respond.

"You're absolutely disgusting." I scoffed, and he grinned.

"I try, I try." He pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. I shivered involuntarily.

"I knew the rumors were true," I murmured, and he looked up his interest piqued.

"You're exactly as arrogant as I said." I smiled winningly.

"Yes. I won't deny it. What would you say to an arrogant student if that arrogant student asked you to accompany him to dinner tonight?" I glared at him.

"I would say no, because this certain arrogant student has a certain girlfriend who just happens to be my roommate, and also, that roommate already wants to rip my head off as is. I don't think going on a date with her boyfriend would sew us up in the friendship department." His face fell slightly as he exhaled.

"I knew you would say that," He murmured. I instantly felt bad.

"If you weren't with Tanya, I would change that no to a maybe," I said quickly, before clamping my hand over my mouth. No. I did not just tell him that if he broke up with his girlfriend, I would go out with him.

In other words, I told him that I had a teensy tiny crush on him.

Arrogant pig.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to my reviewers-- to be honest, I didn't think anyone would really read this. But this storyline comes easier to me than Blue Sunset, so I think I'll work with this one more. Yay!  
Keep reading and keep reviewing!**


	4. Three: Temptation

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Twilight. Although I was considering bringing in a minor character of my own... I'll get back to you on that one.**

**Chapter 3: Temptation**

That night I didn't get much sleep. I couldn't get over my final words to Edward.

__

If you weren't with Tanya, I would change that no to a maybe.

Honestly. What was wrong with me? I just told a selfish, arrogant pig that I would date him if he dumped my evil roommate. Life is good! Not. I turned onto my pillow, groaning loudly into it.

Two hours later, Tanya's alarm clock hollered. She claimed that waking up early makes your hair shinier. I didn't care. I liked sleeping. But it still hadn't come.

I stood in front of the mirror, yawning widely. I looked a mess. My hair was a haystack, my eyes bagged and I could taste my morning breath, which was worse than usual. Sighing, I began to tame the mess that I called my hair. After a few minutes, Tanya burst back into the room.

"Bella, there aren't enough seats at the lunch table for you today sorry." She shrugged innocently, but she didn't look sorry at all. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever." I wasn't about to fuss over something I cared so little about. If I didn't have a seat, fine, I would eat quickly then go to the library.

"Oh, and if I catch you talking to Edward again, you'll regret it." Tanya bounced her curls one last time before grabbing her purse, sneering, and stalking back out the door. I yawned widely, and started to change.

"Take it off! Take it all off!" I heard muffled yells from outside my window. Crap. Tanya had opened the curtains, and of course, strange boys would be looking into my room while I was half naked. I blushed furiously, quickly pulling the curtains closed. There was less than an inch left when I noticed a certain dark haired dark skinned person. Why was Jacob telling me to strip? I shuddered, erasing the gap between them, and continuing to dress in peace.

After I brushed my teeth in the bathroom, I returned to my room, and there sat Alice, poised on my bed.

"Hi!" She squealed, leaping out and giving me a hug. "Do you feel better? I was going to come and visit you when Edward brought you back but--"

"Edward brought me back?" I cut her off, looking at her in astonishment.

"Yes, of course. I saw him sprinting towards the nurse's office when you passed the parking lot unconscious. That Newton kid was carrying you, and trying to help some big Indian kid at the same time. Edward took you, and it looked like Mike tried to punch him, but that didn't happen. The kid is a wimp, I tell you. So Edward stays with you until the nurse tells him to bring you back to your room. He stays with you until he's starving– you know boys. Can't keep their stomachs full. Anyways, he told me the whole story during dinner. He told us not to visit you until you were awake, and then he went to his room to pick up some water bottles. I guess he got online and searched for your screen name– mind you, that's very stalkerish. Then he found you online and... I guess you know the rest." Alice smiled brightly after completing her story. My mouth was hanging open in shock. "These walls aren't very thick. That's how I heard about the instant messenger thing and all," She continued. I couldn't speak. So it was Edward who had been caring enough to make sure I was going to recover from seeing so much blood. Huh, maybe I'd have to reconsider this movie tonight with Jacob. After all, he _was_ ogling at me when I was changing.

"Interesting. Thanks for filling me in..." I said, slightly dazed. I ran my fingers through my hair, and then again. Alice touched the collar of my shirt.

"Bella, you look like a prep. It's really weird." Maybe the khakis and baby pink polo shirt weren't such a good idea after all. But it was too late to change. Or do anything more with my hair. "I mean, you look nice, but I didn't see you as a prep. You know?" She took one of Tanya's many hair ribbons, parting my hair to the side, and clipping it in. "There. Okay, lets go." I rolled my eyes, knowing this was a lost battle. I pulled a cardigan over my polo, and followed Alice out of the room.

English was quite the same as yesterday, in the tripping and stumbling department. Some girl named Lauren Mallory started the count when she tripped me when I walked to my desk. _Tanya wannabe_, I thought angrily to myself, blushing, and sitting in my chair. I didn't look up the entire time.

"Tonight's assignment, summary on the second four chapters," Mr. Hall announced to the class. I sighed, shoving my notebook in my backpack, and desperately waited for the bell to ring. I had no such luck.

"So, hang out with Cullen lately?" A voice shot at me icily, as a girl rested her hands on my desk. I furrowed my brows– apparently I made another enemy.

"What makes you think that?" I didn't look up at her as I spoke.

"Everyone saw you two yesterday. He was like, carrying you. I knew you were a slut– you already did it with Edward Cullen. And his girlfriend is your roommate, my sources tell me." Lauren cackled, and one of her cronies, Jessica, I thought her name was, giggled nervously.

"I think you need new sources," I shot back, looking angrily up at her. To no surprise, her eyes were ice blue. I was wondering if all these girls had the same parents. Their attitudes sure matched up. "I would never sleep with Edward– one because he's dating my roommate, and two, because he's an asshole. And yesterday, I _fainted_ and he was just bringing me to the nurse. That's all that happened. So butt the hell out." The bell rang and I stumbled out of the room, leaving an astonished Lauren behind me.

"I love a girl who tells someone off," A musical voice greeted me. I jumped, my hand automatically reaching for my mouth. "Scare you?" He chuckled, a sound so alluring and enchanting, I could feel myself start to sweat.

"You seriously need to get a new hobby. Stalking the new girl must get boring." I sighed as Lauren and Jessica stalked past, shooting me looks. I childishly stuck my tongue out, which got them whispering. "Oh, and if you hear people talking about us, please slap them."

"Why would I slap them?" Edward inquired as we started off towards Government.

"Because I asked you to. And I don't want rumors starting."

"But slapping them would keep the rumors going. And who says they're rumors?" He had a mischievous glint in his bright green eyes that I found both annoying and delicious.

"Edward, I don't particularly want to date you. Remember, you're an arrogant pig," I pointed out, poking him on the shoulder with my index finger.

"Thanks so much. I'm really offended, Bella," He did look offended, but I caught the sarcasm in his voice. I heaved a deep sigh, and leaned against the wall, turning my body to face him.

"Listen Edward. People hate me because I talk to you. People talk about us because I talk to you. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy talking to you when you're not being a jackass, but if I'm going to be hated because you're telling people that we're together or whatever, I don't think I could forgive you. And I'm normally a very forgiving person." I looked around awkwardly. My little speech was absolute truth (and straight from the heart), and I didn't particularly want other people hearing it. The hallway was deserted apart from us. I turned my gaze back to him. "I still want to be your friend, but at the moment, I don't want anything more." Edward smirked.

"At the moment." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. At the moment." I sighed, not bothering to argue with him. The bell rang, but neither of us moved. "I suppose if you give me time..." I looked down at my feet. Why was he so easy to talk to? I felt myself admitting things I certainly didn't want him to know, including that I was willing to date him– with time.

"I have all the time in the world," He whispered, placing a cool finger under my chin, and tilting it up to look at him. "All the time," He reminded me. I nodded slowly, my eyes not leaving his. They seemed to be darker than usual, and filled with emotion. I searched desperately for a word to describe them– but instead of finding a word, I found flecks of gold. My heart rate and breathing both picked up. Edward smiled his perfect crooked smile– come to think of it, I had never seen him use it with anyone other than myself. I noticed that his face was inching closer to mine, and I wasn't cringing away.

His full, perfect lips were inches away from mine.

"Cullen! Swan!" A booming voice burst our bubble. Edward's head snapped towards the voice, and I couldn't help but stare at his flawless profile. His emerald eyes lightened slightly, as the atmosphere cleared. "It's the middle of second hour, and I just happen upon you and one of your girls. And from what I hear, and I hear a lot, this isn't even your girlfriend." Headmaster Alistair barked. Edward straightened up, running a hand through his bronze hair.

"Yeah, about that..." He mumbled, looking down. About that? About what? One of his girls? Girlfriend? The thoughts swam through my mind as if there were sharks chasing them. Alistair nodded, his beady eyes flicking between us.

"Just get to class," He muttered, turning on his heel and walking back the way he came.

"I was thinking about skipping, to be honest..." I whispered as soon as Alistair disappeared. Edward turned back to me, his eyes darkening a shade as the crooked smile spread across his perfect features again. "But I don't know if I can..." I continued, just as quiet. "It's only my second day, and I don't want my teachers to get a bad impression." He looked let down, but his gaze never left mine.

"Okay..." Edward murmured. He hesitantly lifted his hand, then lightly ran his fingertips along my cheekbone. I closed my eyes, enjoying his touch. When he moved his hand away, I was very ready to grab it. "See you around, Bella," He turned away. He was walking away.

"Edward wait!" I hurried to catch up to him. Edward turned to look curiously at me. "I.. I er... I..." I stumbled over my words.

"Don't hurt yourself," He chuckled, still looking at me. I made my decision.

I swiftly kissed him on the cheek.

"See you around, Edward," I blushed furiously, before I turned, and hurried towards my class.

"Miss Swan, I would greatly appreciate if you didn't show up in the middle of the class without a late pass." I couldn't even remember the teachers name, so I nodded stupidly, trudging over to Alice. She looked about ready to explode. However, she didn't get the chance to badger me until after class.

"BELLA!" Alice screamed as soon as the bell rang. I jumped up, and started towards the door. She trotted after me. "Mind telling me why you were late to class?" She batter her eyelashes. I rolled my eyes.

"No good reason. Just... dawdling," I knew that she wouldn't believe me. There was a smirk on her face and a glint in her eye. "More details later," I finished, well aware that she would wheedle the information out of me sometime. Alice clapped cheerfully as we waited outside the door for Mr. Turner to show up. Tanya showed up a minute later, chatting animatedly to Lauren while Jessica shot me menacing looks. All my effort went into keeping myself from laughing. Therefore, it was a surprise when a musical voice penetrated my walls.

"Hey Bella." I couldn't help but smile. There he stood, looking more godlike than ever. Tanya just gaped at us.

"Hi." I managed. Edward smirked, then turned to Tanya. He was murmuring to her, and I strained my ears to hear their conversation.

"Tanya, there's something I need to say. I don't think this is working out," Edward sighed, running a hand through his tousled bronze hair. Tanya continued to gape.

"What isn't working out?" She choked, her eyes confused.

"Us. I can't be with you anymore," He patted her gently on the shoulder.

That shook her awake.

"_YOU'RE BREAKING UP WITH ME?!_" She screeched. Edward winced, but nodded. "_ME?! TANYA KATRINA DENALI?! NO ONE BREAKS UP WITH ME!"_ Tanya whirled around, pointing a finger at me. "YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! EVERYTHING WAS FUCKING PERFECT BEFORE YOU CAME YOU WHORE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU CONNED MY BOYFRIEND INTO THINKING THAT YOU LIKED HIM, SO HE COULD BREAK UP WITH ME! _SLUT!_" With that, she stormed off. Lauren and Jessica flitted after her. I stood there for a moment, stock still.

Then I burst out laughing.

"Bella are you okay?" I nodded, gasping for breath between laughter.

"It appears that she has some hearing issues. Thus, Tanya's words did not have the desired effect." Edward chuckled. I continued nodding, knowing he was right. The second bell rang, announcing that we were free to go. I didn't think I could stand in front of my classmates for a moment longer– they were staring at me like I was a lunatic. I trudged down the hallway, crossing my arms in front of my chest, deep in thought. I hardly acknowledged Edward and Alice whispering behind me, a feat within itself. For one, Alice never whispered in the hallways, and two, I didn't know they were on speaking terms. The security guard looked at us.

"This hour was cancelled for us– Trigonometry..." I flashed him a smile. He nodded a bit, letting us leave.

We exited the building and crossed over the bridge to the quads. I was still leading the way, but not paying complete attention to where my feet were leading me. I ended up at the edge of the gardens in front of the administrations building. I paused, drinking in the beauty.

It was any romantic's dream come true. Roses, tulips, lilies, and many other flowers including freesia and irises. Along the outer edge were apple trees, some of which had a few apples still clinging. This was surprising, as apples didn't usually last until January. These apples were vibrant red. I took a tentative step forward, and looked behind me. Edward and Alice were there, but not speaking anymore. They were watching me with interest. I grinned a little, before walking further into the school's version of Eden. I slowly made my way to a tree with the brightest red apple, and gazed up at it. The scene reminded me of stories I had heard in the Bible school I was forced to attend when I was younger.

The tree of good and evil. I vaguely remembered reading that apples were not to be picked from the apple tree. The vibrant red fruit was torturing me– the temptation was very strong, but I could resist it. It took all of my efforts, but I turned away from the tree, and looked back towards Edward and Alice. I gasped.

Edward was my apple. Edward was my temptation. And I knew that before long, I would be led into temptation.

I strode quickly from the red apple, and away from my own temptation. I didn't know how long I could resist before I cracked. I walked through the freesias, caressing each petal carefully with my fingers. I could faintly smell Edward next to me. I looked up at him, and noticed Alice examining the roses.

"These flowers are beautiful," I noted, stepping away from him and deeper into the freesia. "The smell sort of familiar," I continued conversationally.

"The flowers are nice," Edward agreed half-heartedly. "But I wouldn't say beautiful with you standing here in comparison," He gave me that heart-melting crooked smile of his. I blushed, turning away, only to have my hand caught in his gentle grasp. He lifted my wrist up to his nose, and took a light sniff. "And it smells familiar because you smell exactly like freesia... and a little bit of strawberry too," He admitted, his grin turning sheepish. My blush, impossibly, grew darker. He was so horribly tempting. Edward pulled me gently towards him. I leaned against him, inhaling deeply.

"You smell like honey and the sun," I admitted quietly. He chuckled. "I noticed the first time I met you."

"Nobody's ever smelled me before," Edward said cheekily.

"I could say the same thing," I replied in the same tone. He gave my hand a light squeeze.

"Bella come look-- oh, sweet Jesus. It's time for fourth hour. Edward, I think you should probably go to class this time. You know, skipping two periods in a row isn't very clever," Alice's voice drifted over to us. I sighed, leading Edward back to Alice, before heading back to the class building.

"I'll save you a seat in lunch," Edward said with a wink, before lightly squeezing my hand again, then dropping it, and walking away. I exhaled slowly as I walked to Spanish.

"I'll be waiting for you in our dorm after seventh hour. I expect you to come out with the full tale." Alice demanded, before trotting off to her next class.

Spanish was dreadfully boring. I couldn't pay attention– my mind had bigger and better things to concentrate on. Edward, for one. How could I break it to Jacob that I didn't want to go to the movie tonight? How would I tell him that I wanted to go to the party that Edward had mentioned yesterday.

I was gazing blankly out the window when a tiny miracle occurred. A large, dark figure was hunched over, trudging across the pathway to the infirmary. I would know that glossy black hair anywhere. I shot my hand into the air.

"Puedo ir al bano por favor?" (**A/N: I don't take Spanish, so thanks for correcting me :D)**

"Si. Prisa detrás!" I nodded, and bolted towards the door. I reached the security guard that had let me leave last time.

"My friend is getting sick and my teacher told me to go and help him. We saw him from the window," I invented wildly. Only part of it was true. The guard took my blush for concern, for some odd reason, and let me pass. I was an awful liar. I tripped and scraped my knee as I ran for the infirmary, and burst through the door. "Jacob? Jacob? Are you alright?" I gasped, clutching a stitch in my side. He looked up at me– his russet skin was paler than usual.

"I'm really sorry Bella, but I'm not in any shape for the movie tonight. I'm so, so sorry. When I get better, I promise I'll make it up to you." Jacob's husky voice was weak with the effort he was exerting. The nurse ushered me out, and I quickly said goodbye to Jacob, adding that I hoped he felt better. Luck was on my side. I could go to the party tonight, and not hurt anyone's feelings. I wasn't much of a dancer, but I could still have a little fun, no?

I walked slowly back to Spanish, digging my hands into the pockets of my khakis. I didn't know what had possessed me to wear this preppy outfit, but obviously, it did something for me. Edward wasn't being selfish, and Jacob was getting sick. Not that I wanted him sick, I just wanted a reason to ditch him tonight.

Oh god, I was a horrible person.

Nothing could have prepared me for lunch. I quickly paid for my pretzels and sandwich, and let my eyes scan the crowd for my friends. I saw Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Tanya and... ew, Lauren. I certainly wasn't sitting there. But among them, I didn't spot a flash of bronze hair. My eyes wandered, and I noticed someone waving at me. I smiled weakly, making my way over to the godlike creature who was too beautiful to be human.

"Hi," Edward greeted me quietly, beaming. "Glad you could make it. For a second I thought you would take your chances with Lauren and Tanya. They're about ready to rip your throat out. I understand Tanya's reasoning, but Lauren?" He shook his beautiful head. I turned, and saw Jessica Stanley sitting in the last empty seat at the table. Alice looked about ready to stab her. I laughed quietly, and Edward joined me.

"So, earlier, in the gardens. That apple seemed to intrigue you..." He stated curiously.

"Yes, it's a very interesting fruit." I replied, my cheeks flushing a light pink. Hopefully, Edward didn't make the temptation connection– but he was smarter than I had originally given credit for. Perhaps he wouldn't piece together the fact that my gaze had lingered on him immediately after the apple.

"The trees always remind me of the garden of Eden." Edward started, playing mindlessly with the cap of his water bottle. "The brightest fruits are always so tempting." Crap. Crap, crap, crap. There went my life, down the drain. He looked up at me through his thick lashes. I could feel myself sweating profusely. I gave a noncommital jerk of the head, and he chuckled.

"I understand where you're coming from." I answered, not looking up at him.

"You do?" His voice was curious. Had I just said that I understood where he was coming from? I was going from bad to worse. I nodded a little, taking a large bite of my sandwich to shut myself up. It seemed my luck had run out for the day, as I nearly choked. Edward half rose from his chair, preparing to do the finger sweep to get the food out of my mouth. That would be embarrassing. I managed to swallow, and gave him a small smile.

"All better, see?" I swallowed again, making sure I had gotten all the remains of my food out of my mouth, before opening my jaw wide, and showing him my clear throat. He simply chuckled.

"Good, because I couldn't bear to see a beautiful girl choking," Edward murmured. I froze– he had a knack of making me feel ridiculous. I was about to speak, when he looked up at me. "Anyways, I heard that a certain Jacob Black is sick. Wasn't he the person you were going to the movies with?" Edward asked innocently. I didn't recall telling him Jacob's name, only... Alice. Damn pixie.

"Yes... and we postponed our plans for a later date," I stated formally. He smirked. "And yes, that does mean I'll be free tonight for that party you were talking about," I rolled my eyes before he could even respond to that.

"Great!" He looked like he wanted to say something more, but thought better of it. I decided I would press him further during Biology, as I had suddenly become ravenous.

After situating myself behind the black lab table, I turned to Edward, folding my hands in my lap. I smiled innocently at him.

"So tell me, what were you going to say at lunch?" I inquired, batting my eyelashes to see the effect. Edward was staring blankly at the whiteboard.

"I said everything that I planned on saying," He replied evenly, but I could see the faintest hint of a blush creeping along the hollow under his ear. I leaned forward.

"You don't have to hide these things from me, Edward," I whispered. Before he had a chance to respond in any way, Mr. Roche entered the room, and started lecturing. Of course, he had no idea on how much trouble he was in with me. I was so close to getting information from Edward, and he had to ruin it. I started to doodle idly on my paper. Edward nudged me with the side of his notebook. I turned to stare at him, but he was glaring intently at the top of his page.

__

You're very good at wheedling information.

I scrawled back my own message.

__

I try, dear friend. I try.

He rolled his eyes, writing another note in his elegant script.

__

Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?

He looked up at me, his eyes slightly worried. I gazed deeply, losing my train of thought. Those gold specks made his eyes different from any other pair I had ever seen... I looked back at the notebook, and remembered that I was on a mission.

__

Okay.

He grinned brightly. "I'll come by your room at seven. The party starts at eight. I figured we could go with Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett as well," Edward whispered, excitement evident in the velvety folds of his voice. I nodded, smiling like an idiot.

Apparently, I had given in to temptation sooner than I had expected.

* * *

**Authors Note: Ahh, temptation. I thought this went perfectly with Bella and Edward's developing relationship. Obviously, I got the idea from Stephenie Meyer. But who would blame me.  
PS: I like rebels, and therefore, I made Edward skip two classes in a row. Oh baby.**

**REVIEW PLEASE?!**


	5. Four: Fighting Fate

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. NOW GET READING!**

**Chapter 4: Fighting Fate**

As soon as Biology finished, I couldn't wait for the school day to end. But I should have known better– Rosalie was waiting for me in Gym.

"Why didn't you sit with us at lunch?" She whined, propping her hands on her hips. I looked at her for a moment, before bursting into laughter. "What?" Rosalie pouted. "I'm honestly just curious! It's not every day that someone sits alone with Edward. You see, he's more of a group type person. Before now, I hadn't seen him alone since the beginning of freshman year, where he got inducted into the Varsity track team," She continued while I changed.

"Track team, huh?" That would explain his screen name. Rosalie nodded before continuing.

"Even though he's a junior, he's the captain. But no one really cares, cause he's the fastest," She finished proudly.

"I didn't know you were really friends with him," I noted, watching my feet, trying very hard not to stumble.

"Tanya made me go to every track meet with her. And then she wouldn't even watch. She'd spend her time texting random guys," Rosalie responded. I tripped on my shoelace– how did I not see that one coming? From the floor, I stared at Rosalie.

"She was texting other guys?" I asked, in a mild state of shock. I should have known she was only dating Edward for his body.

"Yeah, I mean like, everyone has guy friends, but she would be all flirty with everyone. Edward was getting seriously fed up, I don't know why he stayed with her so long." She answered, shrugging. I nodded slowly.

"Hey Bella! Feeling better from yesterday?" A baby faced boy walked over to me. His hair was light blonde, and carefully spiked. His large blue eyes were not filled with concern, but some other emotion. I didn't bother to try and figure it out. I shrugged offhandedly, having not really heard what he said. "So listen, did you hear about the party tonight? It's supposed to be wicked awesome. Oh, I'm Mike by the way. Mike Newton," Mike extended his hand, a bright smile on his face.

"I'm Bella, but you probably already know that." _Everyone seems to know my name._ "I did hear about the party and I'm going with a few friends."

"Really? Awesome! I'll definitely find you there," Mike said enthusiastically. I just nodded, and he walked away, a new bounce in his step. Rosalie burst out laughing. I jumped slightly.

"Oh god, that was priceless. Promise me you'll dance with him, and make a fool of him," She kept laughing.

"Isn't that mean?" I shot at her, leaning against the wall. Hopefully, coach wouldn't notice me. "Anyways, I doubt I'll be dancing. I can't dance.

"Bella, you have to give things a try," Rosalie urged. "The whole male population is falling for you. Show them what you're made of!" She slapped me playfully on the arm. "And you never did tell me why you didn't sit with us at lunch..." Rosalie continued, pressing the matter. I sighed resignedly.

"I didn't want to get near Tanya and Lauren, and Edward was sitting alone." I replied simply. It wasn't the whole truth, but she didn't need to hear the details. I looked over at her, just in time to see something flash in her eyes.

"Oh. Okay. Well you know, they're not so bad. You just have to give them a chance," Rosalie said.

"Yes, of course I'll give them a chance, just because they hate me before I even get a chance to know them." My voice was dripping with sarcasm as I looked coldly at Rosalie. "Yes, because they definitely deserve a chance." Rosalie looked at me in shock. Coach blew her whistle sharply.

"Girls, get in the game!" She chucked a basketball at me. I ducked out of the way before I could cause damage to anyone, including myself. I watched the orange ball roll away, and I knew that Coach was giving me the evil eye. Rosalie walked away stiffly, and began to play. I sank to the ground, and buried my head in my hands.

The must be something wrong with me. I was pushing people away, and all they wanted was a friendship. Rosalie had welcomed me to Riverside, even though her best friend hated me with a passion. She simply asked me to rethink my feelings towards Tanya. Of course, I wouldn't do that, but did I have to hate Rosalie for being best friends with that bitch?

No. I didn't.

I continued to watch the games, mulling things over in my head. I would just have to apologize for snapping at her, and hope for the best.

"Rosalie?" I asked her quietly. We were the last two in the locker room, and she had just emerged from the changing area. She looked over at me.

"What Bella. Are you going to scream at me some more because I don't want my friends hating each other?" I winced, aware that she just called me her friend. Sighing, I responded.

"No. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what I said before. I didn't mean to go off on you like that, but Tanya hates me so much, and the only reason is because Edward talked to me."

"Bella don't you get it? She's jealous. Jealous like every other girl in the school, with the exception of Alice. Why? You can ask her for yourself. Bella, even I'm jealous of you. You should see the way guys look at you when you walk by– it's like you're our own little celebrity. They all want you Bella. Obviously, you're too stubborn to see yourself clearly." Rosalie crossed her arms in finality, and waited for me to respond. I was speechless. The person who she had just described couldn't be me, because I knew I wasn't pretty. My eyes were plain old brown, and wide set. My creamy ivory skin didn't have freckles, and my lips were unproportionate to my narrow jaw and pointed chin. My hair was limp and straight, and dark brown. I was slender, but not muscular. Who in their right mind would consider me beautiful?

I knew the answer to that question, but I wouldn't admit it to myself.

"Okay..." I whispered, finally finding my voice. Rosalie smiled weakly, and we started back towards the dorms. I vaguely noticed violently pink posters on the walls.

"Miss Swan?" The person behind the desk stopped me before I could enter the elevator. "You have received a complaint from your roommate, and she requests that you move out." My jaw dropped. Tanya was trying to kick me out of my room.

"I think you have it wrong, sir. You see, Tanya was the one who was hooking up with her boyfriend on my bed," I replied, my anger flaring up at once.

"You don't have to move out, actually. She didn't have an excuse for why she was complaining," The man behind the counter continued. I simply nodded, preferring to deal with this problem later. Rosalie and I continued to my dorm. She plopped down on my desk, kicking off her flip flops.

"Yeah, go on and make yourself comfortable, buddy," I chuckled, withdrawing my copy of _Wuthering Heights_. Rosalie drifted over to sit next to me.

"So, for the party tonight, I have the perfect dress that you can borrow, it will look so nice on you," She started hesitantly. I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe. Can you pass me my laptop?" Rosalie obliged, and I booted it up. I opened up iTunes, and Viva la Vida started playing.

"Oh my god, I love this song!" She squealed, grabbing Tanya's hairbrush.

"_I used to rule the world. Seas would rise when I gave the word," _As she sang, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me off the bed. She ran over to grab my hair brush, and tossed it towards me. I bent down to snatch it, and Alice burst into the room, singing the next phrase.

"_I used to roll the dice, feel the fear in my enemy's eyes,"_ She danced around in circles, her voice like a chorus of wind chimes. I giggled.

"_One minute I held the key. Next the walls were closed on me. And I discovered that my castles stand, Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand."_ I sang, my voice was nothing compared to Rosalie's and Alice's, but I didn't care. I was having too much fun.

"_I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing, Roman Cavalry choirs are singing. Be my mirror, my sword and shield, My missionaries in a foreign field. For some reason I can't explain, Once you go there was never, Never an honest word. And that was when I ruled the world!"_ We chorused, dancing wildly. We continued this until the song ended, and I collapsed on my bed in a fit of laughter. There was someone applauding from the doorway, and I immediately sat up, feeling self conscious.

Of course, Edward _would _come to my room at the most embarrassing moment in my life.

"Oh God," I murmured, blushing furiously.

"Hi Edward!" Alice greeted brightly, springing over to him, and clapping him on the back. Since when was Alice all buddy-buddy with Edward?

Since the garden.

"Rosalie, can I see that dress you were thinking of letting me borrow?" I asked, desperate for an escape. Rosalie shook her head.

"After dinner I'll show you. What song is on next?" She asked quickly, leaping onto my bed, and checking my laptop. I shot Edward a furtive look, and caught him staring at me. He chuckled, crossing the room to sit next to me on the bed.

"Looks like the party is already happening," I mumbled. Edward heard, and laughed musically. A small grin crept across my face as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. He unclipped my girly bow, and tossed it back on Tanya's desk. His soft hand glided from behind my ear down my jawline to the base of my neck, sliding down my shoulder and arm until it reached my hand in my lap. I bit my lip to keep from saying something I would regret in the morning. His emerald eyes were darker than I had ever seen them, burning with emotion. He was leaning forward slightly, waiting for me to close the distance.

"Oh my god Bella, I can't believe you don't have _Check Yes, Juliet_ on you iTunes. You're seriously missing– oh..." Alice cut her off with a meaningful look. But it was too late, for mine and Edward's bubble had popped. "I'm so sorry... so, can I buy it for you?" Rosalie asked hesitantly, regret etched in her beautiful voice.

"Sure," I replied, my voice cracking. It was irritating, how the fates didn't want Edward and I kissing. A few minutes later, _Check Yes, Juliet_ was blasting from my speakers, and Rosalie was singing at the top of her voice, drowning out the actual song.

"Come on guys, sing!" Alice joined her, but I remained silent. "Bella, Edward! I know both of you can sing!" I shook my head, and Edward just stared blankly at Rosalie.

"Is she drunk?" He whispered in my ear. I giggled, shrugging.

"I never know these things. Rosalie has gotten pretty unpredictable lately." I responded, watching Rosalie and Alice sing.

"Kind of like you?" Edward asked. He was looking at me again.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said lightly, giving his hand a squeeze.

"That. Yesterday you were calling me names, and you hated me so much. Today, we've almost kissed twice, and you're holding my hand." He held up our entwined fingers, causing my blush to deepen. And the fact that his voice was low, alluring, and velvety rolling off his tongue. I considered withdrawing my hand, but I was too complacent in this position.

"You guys, we should get dinner." It was four thirty. "We need time to get ready for the party!" Alice exclaimed, jumping up and down. I nodded, reluctantly tearing my gaze from Edward.

I pushed my food around my plate, not at all hungry. I was too nervous about the party. Edward looked at me curiously, and I just shook my head. I rested my elbows on the table, something I wouldn't ordinarily do, and put my head in my hands. Someone's hand was on my back, rubbing soothing circles into my tense muscles. I was so sure I was going to trip at some point during this party, and everyone would make fun of me. I would make sure I wasn't wearing death traps on my feet.

All too soon, I heard the scraping of chairs, announcing our departure. I stood up, and the hand on my back slipped into mine. I glanced up at Edward, and a sheepish smile graced his perfect features. I smiled weakly back, as we started back to the dorms.

Edward let go of my hand on the third floor, and he was about to exit the elevator when he turned back to me.

"See you at seven," He reminded me with a wink, before continuing to his room. Alice and Rosalie waited for the elevator doors to close before the interrogation started.

"You're going with Edward? I so knew it. Pay up, Rose." Alice held out her hand, and Rosalie stuck out her tongue.

"I don't have any money on me." We exited the elevator, and Alice clung to my wrist so I was forced to follow them to their room. "Oh, and we're playing Bella Bratz by the way."

"Bratz? I'm sorry, but I would definitely rather her be a Barbie doll. Bratz are so overrated," Alice countered.

"You guys bet money that I would go to the party with Edward?" I asked, amazed. Alice looked at me like I was mental.

"Of course. You guys definitely have something– he's never looked at anyone like that before. Especially not Tanya." It was Rosalie who answered, and Alice shuddered to add effect. I couldn't help but let a giggle escape. "Okay, so it's time to get you ready!" They cheered in unison. I sighed resignedly, and sat in Alice's desk chair, preparing for torture.

It was much worse than I had expected. They tugged and pulled on every lock of my hair, singing loudly to Spice Girls. But after an hour, it was over. My hair was gently curled– I didn't know it could do that– and swept into a hair band just below the hollow of my ear. A few strands framed my face, which wasn't made up very much. Alice had lightly applied gold eyeshadow and mascara. I had to admit, I didn't look half bad.

That's when Alice showed me a pair of shoes.

"No. No! Absolutely not. I'm not wearing those death traps. They don't even match anything. No, I'm not wearing them." I declared indignantly. Alice pouted, but it wasn't going to work. I was not wearing lavender pumps with bows on the heels. She was being ridiculous. "No, Alice. Rosalie, can I please see my dress." Rosalie obliged, trotting over to her closet, and pulling out a sleeveless dark teal dress. There was a thick stripe of cloud blue on the bottom, with black flowers printed over it. The straps were wide, and made of black velvet, meeting together at the sternum with a lavender and teal design. It was empire waist with a pink, black and blue diagonally striped design **a/n picture on site**. I gasped– it was absolutely beautiful, but I didn't know if I could pull it off.

"Just put it on, Bella." Rosalie rolled her eyes, shoving the dress towards me. I took it gently, and meandered towards the bathroom. Once in a stall, I unclothed in a dreamlike state. I pulled the cotton dress softly over my head, then situated it on my body. I returned to Alice's and Rosalie's room, still in a trance.

"Oh my God Bella, you look so... well, let's just say a certain brother of mine won't be able to keep his hands off of you," Alice giggled, and I snapped out of my dreamlike state.

"What did you say? Brother? I didn't know you had a brother!" I exclaimed, feeling my nerves bubbling to the surface. Alice looked flustered.

"Oh yeah... about that. I was going to tell you sooner, but the topic never came up. So, Edward is kind of my brother. His parents, Carlisle and Esme, adopted me fifteen years ago, as my parents died. They never made me change my name to Cullen though, so I just kept it as Brandon, and... yeah. So no you know," She shrugged, and made for the closet. I snatched her wrist, whirling her around to face me.

"I can't like Edward if he's your brother! What if something happens between us, and it ruins everything? Or vise versa? I don't know if I could deal with that!" I leaned against the wall, and sunk to the floor. Rosalie stared at us like we had serious issues. I couldn't break down. I could feel a full on panic attack coming.

"Bella, don't worry. If anything happens between you two, I won't drop you. The only way things would go wrong is if you start hating me because of my relation to him. Even though technically, I'm not related to him. I just live in the same house as him. Our town is even rainier than this, I can't begin to comprehend. We just moved from Alaska to Forks, and then we get sent here I mean honestly, precipitation enough?" Alice was babbling, trying to calm me down. But I had stopped listening when she said Forks. _We just moved from Alaska to Forks..._

"Forks? As in Forks, Washington? As in two hours or so from here?" My breath was ragged. Alice nodded.

"Why? You seem... I don't know. Why does it matter I live in the dreariest town in the world?" She peered curiously. Rosalie was watching the whole exchange quietly from her bed.

"I'm from Forks as well. I've been acquainted with a Dr. Cullen, but I didn't know he was the same. So you're saying you and Edward live in Forks as well?" Alice squealed excitedly, wrapping her arms excitedly around me.

"Yes that's him!" She exclaimed after releasing me from her death grip. "We can visit home together! This is so exciting!" I nodded slightly, my breathing returning to normal.

"Now, finish getting ready Alice. Rosalie and I have been waiting very patiently," I tapped the top of my wrist as if it were the face of a watch. Alice whipped her head around, staring at the digital clock. It read six forty five.

"Bella we're finishing up in your room, cause of Edward and everything. Oh my God, I can't believe you're going to a party with my brother!" Alice grabbed her cosmetics, and danced out of the room. Rosalie and I exchanged an exasperated glance, before following Alice.

Everyone was finally ready three minutes before Edward was due to arrive. I was staring at myself in the full length mirror, my thoughts going a mile a minute. _Who would be there? Will there be alcohol? I hope not, I don't want to get drunk and make a fool out of myself. Would I trip?_ That thought was inevitable. I knew it would happen, even though I was wearing a pair of flats rather than death traps Alice preferred to call "pumps." _What would Edward think?_

"I never saw you as the vain type, Bella," A velvety voice interrupted my thoughts, and I looked quickly towards the source. My neck cricked, and I grunted uncomfortably, rubbing the spot. Edward chuckled, and loped gracefully over to me. His viridescent eyes bore into mine, and I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks. It was then that he chose to look at the rest of me, and I felt a rush of pleasure as his jaw dropped. Apparently, he had been too engrossed in my eyes to notice my dress.

I took this chance to examine what he was wearing. This was a first-- I had never before looked anywhere except his face, sometimes his muscular arms, and on occasion, his feet. I had a habit of looking down when embarrassed-- who didn't? He looked exquisite in a pair of khakis, simple, black Converse, and a dark leather jacket. I found myself mentally taking off his jacket to see what was underneath. I scolded myself, before looking back up at his face. His eyes were still glued to my body.

"Like what you see?" I teased, clasping my hands behind my back, and rocking on my heels. Alice and Rosalie tittered. I looked hesitantly towards them.

"Where are you guys meeting Jasper and Emmett?" My voice was quiet, but I was sure they heard me.

"We're meeting them in the reception area." Alice replied immediately. I nodded slightly, and Edward offered me his hand. I timidly took it, and Alice squealed. My blush deepened as Rosalie led us from the room.

"Where is the party anyways?" I asked Edward once we were outside, and Rosalie and Alice were distracted by Jasper and Emmett.

"Erin Teague's house," He smiled at me, melting away all my fear. "It's not far, but we'll have to drive. If you haven't noticed, it's quite cold. I should have reminded you to bring a jacket." Edward's smile twisted into a frown. I wanted to assure him that I would be fine, I wanted to make him feel okay. But a breeze whipped at my ivory skin, causing me to shiver. He grew more worried. "We'll be at Emmett's car in less than half a minute," He vowed, snaking an arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer to him. He chafed my arm, and I leaned into his chest. I could hear his heartbeat pick up, matching mine. I smiled, closing my eyes for a moment as I reveled in his honey and sun scent as well as his heartbeat. I unconsciously took a deep breath in, my lips parting.

"Looks like someone has found a hobby," His velvety voice was teasing. My eyes snapped open and glared at him.

"Thanks for ruining the moment, buddy." I snapped. He withdrew his arm, and shoved his hands into his pockets. I wanted to apologize, to take his arm and wrap it around me again, but I knew that there was no chance of that happening.

Edward helped me into Emmett's Jeep– the tires alone reached my waist. I had no idea how Alice planned to clamber in. I had to squeeze into the seat between Alice and Edward. I sighed deeply, staring out the windshield as the car rumbled to life. I could feel Edward's gaze on me, but he wasn't forward as usual. I folded my hands in my lap, flicking my gaze to them. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward's hand reach for mine for a moment, then clasp to the other firmly as he thought better of the idea. I sighed again, looking up at the roof of the car. My hand, like Edward's was itching for company, which resulted in my squeezing my hands together so tightly, I was unsure if I would be unable to separate them. Alice was watching us intently, waiting for something to happen. But I was very confident that if anything would happen– not that it would, because honestly, Edward couldn't feel the same way about me as I did for him– it would not be in the middle of a car with his adopted sister and three best friends.

After about fifteen minutes, we reached the girl's enormous house. It was a pale beige color, with large, white columns gracing the front porch. Square patches of bright yellow rose up in three rows, before a dark roof slanted to a point. A wrought iron gate contained the bright green grass, which was littered with candles. One could just make out a pool in the back, as well as fellow party-goers. I felt myself stiffen as Edward gracefully exited the vehicle, and extended his hand to help me do the same. I took a deep breath, and took his hand, leaping down from the height. I stumbled, and was unable to right myself. But my luck returned as Edward's pale, muscular arms wrapped themselves around my waist, and kept my face a safe distance from the ground. I turned to face him, murmuring "Thank you for saving me again." He shook his head lightly, pulling me into the clutches of his enticing aroma. I closed my eyes, mindlessly wrapping my arms around his shoulders, and giving him a light squeeze. He chuckled, his sweet breath tickling my pink cheeks.

Reluctantly, it seemed, Edward pulled away. I was about to protest when I noticed the others staring at us with wide eyes. This caused my blush to deepen to an unsightly maroon. He chuckled again, firmly taking my hand. I took a deep breath, and took a step towards the house. Edward hesitated, before whispering something in my ear.

"You look so lovely when you blush."

**Author's Note: Alas, I couldn't put the party in this chapter, because I have big plans for it. And so, I test your patience. Review please, mes amis!**


	6. Five: Nightmare

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight characters. They belong exclusively to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Chapter 5:** **Nightmare**

_You look so lovely when you blush._ My imagination was running wild again. My blush was like an unsightly virus, tainting everything it touched deep red.

And off it went again, that virus of mine. Edward chuckled, leading me into the house. My steps were uneven, much like my breath. He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, and immediately, I knew that everything was alright.

Rosalie and Emmett were at the front of the group, and they were the ones who pushed open the front doors.

"Oh god," I mumbled, my eyes widening in fright. The inside was even more majestic than the exterior. The foyer was a mix of beige and velvety red. The floors were made of ivory marble, with a black sun design in the center of the room. A large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling between two curved staircases. A few people were milling around on the staircases, and more still in the foyer. Exactly opposite us was a large glass door which opened to the pool, and the general party. The rest of the walls were lined with large archways leading to other rooms, but they appeared to be blocked off by furniture. Emmett let out a low whistle, impressed.

"Nice place," Jasper agreed. "But I don't really understand why the general party is outside– it's the middle of January, and it can't be more than forty degrees," He noted logically.

"Body heat," Rosalie answered, a smirk creeping across her face. I felt the virus on my face spreading more rapidly, overtaking the tops of my ears. "Let's go out back and see what's going on." The rest agreed, and followed Rosalie out back. But my feet, on the other hand, were glued to the floor. Edward peered curiously.

"Are you okay, Bella?" He asked, concerned. I shrugged a little, not trusting my words, and looked away from him. He placed his hand on my shoulder, then a finger under my chin. He tilted my chin towards him, so I would look him in those deep, viridescent eyes. "Everything will be okay. I won't let anything bad happen to you," Edward vowed, nodding decisively. I couldn't help but to trust him, and let him lead me out back.

Jasper was right about it being cold. I shivered involuntarily, wrapping my arms around myself. Edward noticed, and took off his jacket, offering it to me. I shook my head.

"You'll get cold," I argued. I didn't want him to make sacrifices for me. He rolled his eyes, taking my arms and forcing them into the jacket. I started to complain, but immediately stopped– the jacket was warm, and smelled exactly like him. I took a deep inhale, and smiled. Edward smirked.

"You like it," He stated. I nodded once, then turned away from him to hide my darkening cheeks. His enchanting laugh rang quietly from behind me. I started to walk towards a group of people I didn't know, well aware of Edward following me. One of the boys turned towards me, and a huge grin broke across his face.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here," He greeted loudly. "It's Isabella Swan, the new girl. Makes me wonder if the rumors are true..." He continued. His friends laughed raucously. I heard Edward's musical laugh behind me as well. My eyes widened even more.

"Well, Laurent, you can let Bella confirm or deny those rumors later. But right now, she's going to dance with me," Edward replied calmly. The boy named Laurent watched as Edward tugged me lightly away to where people were dancing.

"Edward, I can't dance," I said quickly. He simply rolled his eyes, before taking my hips. I blushed.

"Just do what you feel is right," He said with a knowing smile on his face.

"I don't think I should do that..." I disagreed, letting my hips sway awkwardly. Doing what I felt was right would involve less people.

"You're doing fine right now," Edward said pointedly. I sighed, the loud bass for the next song resounding throughout the grounds.

"Who were those people anyways?" I asked after a few moments of silence between us.

"That was the entire basketball team. Why did you go over there?" He shot back.

"The basketball team? Which reminds me, why didn't you tell me you were on the track team. The captain? That's a pretty big deal." I was not about to answer his second question. I could have sworn that Edward's cheeks flushed a little.

"It never came up," He replied quietly.

"Just like how you and Alice are siblings?" I raised my brows at him. He shrugged.

"You found out about that..." I nodded, and Edward sighed, dropping his hands. I was about to protest before he offered me his hand. "Let's talk." I nodded again, taking his hand as he led us back inside. The foyer was nearly empty, except for a few people climbing the stairs. He sat me down on the bottom step of the left staircase.

"Okay, so let's talk. What do you want to know?" I crossed my arms as he settled next to me.

"Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What are your parents names and occupations? Why are you here? Et cetera," I was watching him, and he looked back at me. "I'll answer any questions you have. We can switch off, if you like," He suggested.

"Okay, well, you know my name, Isabella Marie Swan. I turn eighteen on September 13. My mom looks like me with shorter hair, and her name is name is Renee Dwyer. She left my hometown with me when I was only a few months old, and we moved to Phoenix Arizona. There, she met Phil Dwyer, and they eventually got married. She's now a kindergarten teacher, and Phil plays baseball--" Edward cut me off.

"He plays ball? Maybe I know him. What team?"

"He doesn't play _well_. Strictly minor league. Continuing on, my dad's name is Charlie Swan, and he's the police chief of Forks. I went to visit him every summer until about three years ago, when I refused to return. We vacationed in California instead. Then, last fall, I moved up to Forks with Charlie to let my mom and Phil have some peace. We filled out the application for this school, but I went to the Forks public school for the first semester. Everyone was surprised that I got accepted here." I made a face. "I came here because it's a good school, and it will look good on my college application," I concluded, shrugging. Edward nodded slowly. "Your turn." He sighed.

"My full name is Edward Anthony Cullen, and I turn eighteen on June 20... I know, I'm an old man," He began, chuckling. "My mother's name is Esme Cullen, and my father's name is Carlisle. I suppose you know that he works as a doctor... but I never knew you lived in Forks. I suppose that's because the minute we moved there, Carlisle and Esme sent us here," He started.

"That's besides the point. Continue with your autobiography," I demanded, and he chuckled.

"Well, there's really not much else. My parents adopted Alice when she was two years old– all I remember is that her parents died in a car accident. Well, that's what I was told, at least," Edward's beautiful brow furrowed in thought.

"What's Alaska like?" I asked him quietly.

"Cold. It snows a lot, and its always cloudy. A little like Forks." He replied, and I nodded.

"It sounds like a place I would want to visit," I noted, silently adding _with you_.

"Maybe I'll take you there over summer vacation," He supplied, and my blush deepened again.

"I'd like that," I answered honestly. My favorite half smile graced his full lips as he slipped one of his arms around my shoulders. I leaned into his strong chest, closing my eyes. He rested his chin on top of my head as I listened to his heartbeat again.

I could have stayed in that position forever, but the fates were against us.

"Yo Edward!"

"Edward, my main man!" A small group of boys rushed over to us. My eyes snapped open, narrowing at the interruption.

"Hello." Edward greeted, sounding as irritated as I felt. The boys looked over at me, and whistled.

"Hey Edward, who's your new girlfriend?" My viral blush returned.

"I'm not his girlfriend," I answered stiffly. They laughed. How obtuse could they get? Didn't they see we wanted to be alone?

"Sure, sure. So what's your name, pretty girl?" The main one asked.

"Bella Swan," I answered reluctantly. The boys started whispering, and I turned to Edward. "Who are they?" I hissed.

"Track team," He answered in the same low voice.

"Well Edward, we came because we wanted to show you something so awesome you wouldn't be able to wrap your mind around it. But I can see you're busy..." The main one teased. I leaned away from Edward, and stood up.

"No, I was just about to leave anyways," I waved goodbye to Edward, and wandered off. If that was the track team, then I was very, very glad that Edward was spending more time with me than them. But I couldn't help remembering what Rosalie had said. _You see, he's more of a group type person._ Was everything he said an act? Or was he really not influenced by these people at all? I ambled through the house and the yard for the better part of twenty minutes, when I encountered Alice, who looked stressed.

"Bella, let's go this way," She demanded, trying to push me away. A new song was coming on– _Seven Things_ by Miley Cyrus. I absolutely despised Disney stars, as they seemed fake to me.

"Why?" I inquired, trying to look around her to see what she was trying to hide. What I saw made my heart stop.

Edward was tightly entwined with a platinum blonde girl I recognized as Lauren. Tears of fury sprang to my eyes. Alice rubbed my arms comfortingly. I felt a piece of my heart being ripped out and shredded to pieces.

_You're vain, your games, you're insecure,  
You love me, you like her._

Was this what Edward's friends meant when they said 'something so awesome?' Lauren Mallory?

_You make me laugh, you make me cry,  
I don't know which side to buy_.

Had I grown so accustomed to having Edward liking my company, I thought it was something more?

_Your friends they're jerks  
When you act like them, just know it hurts.  
I wanna be with the one I know_.

His friends _were_ jerks. Now he was one too, that he acted like them. I murmured the final lines of the chorus.

"_And the seventh thing... I hate the most that you do... you make me love you_." I couldn't tear my eyes away from Edward and Lauren. I knew that Miley Cyrus was singing the truth.

Edward made me fall in love with him.

"Alice, I have to get out of here." I announced loudly, my voice cracking. Edward unglued himself from Lauren's lips to stare at me in horror. My brown eyes met his green ones, and he held my gaze for a very long moment.

"Edward," Lauren complained in a high pitched voice. "Lets go somewhere more private," She tugged on his sleeve. This reminded me that I was still wearing his leather jacket. I tore it off, and shoved it gruffly in their direction.

"Yeah, Edward. Not everyone wants to see you tongue wrestling," I hissed venomously. Edward was still speechless as I turned on my heel, and stormed away.

"Wait, Bella!" He called, but made no move. I didn't pause. What had I been thinking? That Edward _actually_ liked me? How delusional could I have gotten? Edward didn't care about me at all. He just wanted to use me. I felt his soft hand grasp my shoulder. I whipped around.

"Edward, I was wrong about you. Now get away from me before I get a restraining order," I snapped, but he didn't listen. He drew me closer, and his lips were dangerously close to mine. But I knew that if they met, I would forget every bad thing he did. This, he could not be forgiven for. I stomped hard on his foot– he yelped, and leapt backwards. "Alice, get me out of here now." I growled, stalking through the foyer.

"I don't think we can take Emmett's car..." She started hesitantly, before Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett appeared.

"What happened?" Rosalie demanded.

"Why do you need my car?" Emmett asked.

"We need to leave." Alice prompted, holding my hand and rubbing circles into the back of it. Tears were pouring down my cheeks.

"What--" Rosalie began, but Jasper cut her off.

"Rosalie, don't pressure them right now. I'm sure there's a better time to ask these types of questions, but now is not that time. Let's go," He put his hand around my shoulders, and led us towards the car.

"What about Edward?" Emmett inquired. Fresh tears burst from my eyes and rolled down my hot cheeks. "Oh..." He quickly helped me into the car, then leapt into his own seat, revving the engine.

I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, feeling as if when I let go, I would fall apart. The hole in my heart that Edward inflicted would never heal. Tears continued to pour from my eyes as Rosalie rubbed my back comfortingly. But nothing could help, and nothing could ever help me cope with this feeling. Alice was quietly filling in Jasper and Emmett on the story, and Emmett would tell Rosalie later. I couldn't bear to hear it repeated again.

An hour later, the door opened, and Tanya entered, laughing boisterously, with Lauren and Edward in tow. Edward froze, and looked like he wanted to run away. Good. He was the cause of my horrible pain. I wiped the tears from my eyes, and looked pointedly away from Edward. Lauren tugged him more into the room. Tanya stared at me.

"Whatever happened, don't tell me. I had a good night, obviously you didn't. But you deserve it, because you tried to steal my boyfriend from me," She sneered, causing a new torrent of tears to fall. Rosalie pulled me up, embracing me.

"Tanya, that was so uncalled for." Rosalie snapped. "Come on Bella, you're spending the night with me and Alice," She led me from the room. Edward half extended his hand, but Alice pushed it away. Before the door closed, I heard whispers. I could just make out the words.

"Do you know what happened?" Tanya hissed at Lauren.

"She saw me and Edward hooking up," Lauren replied with an air of smugness.

"You made out with my boyfriend?!" Tanya's voice rose dangerously. I didn't need to strain my ears anymore. We entered Rosalie's and Alice's room, and sat down, listening through the thin walls.

"He's technically not your boyfriend anymore," Lauren challenged.

"I trusted you, you dirty whore!" Tanya screeched. I couldn't help but giggle weakly. It appeared that Tanya had a new way to channel her hate.

"I can't help that Edward's attracted to me!" The cat fight went on, and Edward didn't speak at any point. I buried my head in Alice's pillow, as she patted me on the back softly.

"Bella, I think we should talk about this," She advised. I sighed, sitting up in resignation.

"I guess... I didn't know I liked him that much. When I saw him kissing Lauren, I felt as if a piece of me had been ripped out and shredded," The hole I was describing stung painfully, resulting in me wrapping my arms tightly around myself. Alice made a noise. "I kind of thought he liked me a little as well," I continued quietly.

"Bella, everyone thought he liked you. A lot. I don't understand why he would do something like this," She was about to continue when Rosalie piped up.

"I heard his friends telling him that they would give him four hundred dollars to make a show of getting together with Lauren, and staying with her for a week. But I thought he would treasure his relationship with Bella more than four hundred dollars..." She trailed off, giving into deep thought. I lowered my head to stare at my lap, my tears letting up. Four hundred dollars was worth more to Edward than I was... but didn't doctors make a lot of money? Why would he need four hundred dollars. How could he do this to me?

"I'll have a little chat with Edward about that," Alice said venomously. I closed my eyes, sniffling. She hugged me tightly, and I surrendered myself to the pain. Hurt coursed through my veins, burning every inch of my body. My fingers tightened into claws, my nails digging into my back A tortured cry escaped my clenched teeth as my body began to shake with my uncontrollable tears. Alice continued comforting me, Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett joining her. They slipped my feet out of my shoes, and lowered me so my head was resting on the pillow.

"Just let it all out, Bella." Jasper said soothingly. Rosalie nodded, running her fingers through my hair. Alice continued rubbing my back lightly.

"Edward _will_ pay for what he did for you." Emmett promised me, and I nodded weakly. I closed my eyes, and eventually, my uncontrollable sobs subsided into whimpers.

_The darkness was surrounding me. I felt the current pushing and pulling me, but I didn't know which way to turn. Which way would spare my life? Which way would pull me farther away? I tried to cry for help, but ended up with a mouthful of water. I sputtered, taking in more water. Black spots appeared in front of my eyes, and I knew that it was over. There was no hope left for me. _

_A faint white light was growing brighter. It gave me hope– it had to be the surface! I relaxed in the water. There was no use fighting anymore, because the current was tugging me towards the light. I smiled as the light grew brighter. How easy this was– I should have stopped fighting earlier!_

_A firm hand gripped my arm, and started tugging me away from the light. I wanted to scream, to yell at this arm– why were they dragging me deeper? It must have been a sea creature, trying to make me their dinner. The white light was fading._

_I struggled relentlessly, the brightness of the light fluctuating. I tugged against the arm, trying to reach the light. The light was simplicity, hope, numbness. The hand was pulling me back to painful reality._

_The hand was winning. I was losing my strength. I wondered how long I had been underwater. The hand tugged me forcefully, and I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. I let out a cry of pain as darkness engulfed me._

"Bella! Bella, wake up! BELLA!" I screamed again, sitting bolt upright in bed. My body was covered in a sheen of cold sweat. Tears were streaming down my face again. "Bella, what on Earth were you dreaming about?" Alice's caring voice was laced with concern. I looked quickly at her, my eyes wide in fear. I looked at my shoulder– it wasn't dislocated. I looked around the room. I was in Alice's bed, the covers tangled around my quivering legs.

"Oh Alice!" I cried, throwing my arms around her, new sobs quaking my figure. "I'm not dead! There you are! You're not dead either! The water's gone! It's gone... it's gone." I was so relieved that I hadn't died.

"Yes Bella, you're alive. You were screaming so loudly, and I tried to wake you up. I guess hitting your shoulder with my hairbrush helped," She smiled sheepishly. That's where the pain in my shoulder had come from, but only magnified a hundred times.

"What was I screaming about?" I asked her quietly.

"You were saying something like 'Let me go!'" I had wanted the hand to release me so I could leave all the pain behind me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alice inquired. Rosalie was watching us carefully from across the room.

"I was drowning... and then I saw that light everyone sees. And then someone grabbed me, and tried to pull me away... I suppose that's where I screamed. And then they pulled my arm so hard, and my shoulder... it hurt so much... and then I woke up. I'm so sorry to have woken you up," I whispered. Alice shook her head.

"Bella, we don't want you having nightmares. Talking about it always helps." Rosalie rose from her bed, and loped over to us, sitting next to Alice. They were looking at me with compassion in their eyes. "We love you too much. We don't want you hurting," Alice cooed. I sniffled, nodding.

"I just feel like I've caused so much drama here already, and it's only my second official day," I moaned, resting my head in my hands.

"If this is about Edward--" I flinched. "Then don't worry. He'll regret hurting you." Rosalie vowed.

"But I don't want to cause any more problems," I whispered. Alice shook her head.

"Bella, if it makes you feel better, we won't involve you with this at all. He needs to be taught a lesson on how to treat girls. But I can't promise you that he won't know it's about you. I've never seen him look at another girl the way he looks at you." Alice rested her hand on my shoulder, pushing it lightly so I was looking at her.

"He made a huge mistake by letting you go."

**Author's Note: Ahh, I'll probably update again later today. I want to find out what happens, but I didn't want to continue this chapter. It's a little on the short side, but you're getting multiple updates in one day, probably. So stay tuned! Review please!**


	7. Six: Apologies

**Disclaimer: I don't own these Twilighty characters. Speaking of a certain Twilight character whom we all love for his politeness and dashing good looks, check out stepheniemeyer-dot-com for an update on Midnight Sun...**

**Chapter 6: Apologies**

I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. I was too afraid that the water would encase me again, and that the hand wouldn't be able to pull me out this time. Which made me wonder– who's hand was saving my life? I stared blankly at the ceiling, counting the little bumps that were casting criss-crossed shadows. I listened to Alice and Rosalie breathing deeply in harmony. I felt my eyelids growing heavy again, their peace leaking into my forced consciousness. I clenched my teeth, trying to keep myself awake. I sat up, and cautiously took off the covers, laying them gently on Alice's sleeping form.

I silently opened the door to my room, and almost fainted from the pain. Tanya was fast asleep on her bed, a slightly pained expression on her face. Lauren was passed out on my bed– I would have to wash those sheets at least five times before I would use them again.

But these were insignificant details compared to my desk. Edward sat in my chair, twirling a pen between his fingers. The corners of his full lips were turned down, and his vibrant green eyes were rimmed with red. I simply couldn't imagine Edward crying.

He hadn't heard me enter. I leaned against the doorframe, trying to regulate my heartbeat. He looked as hurt and vulnerable as I. The hole in my heart was pulsing angrily.

"Edward?" My lips barely moved as I spoke his name. He turned quickly to look at me, the pen flying out of his hands and smacking Lauren on the back. She grunted, and rolled over in her sleep. "Why are you here?" I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself. The longer I looked at him, the harder the hole pulsed.

"I was waiting for you," He breathed, quickly standing up and crossing the room to me, his arms opening. I shook my head.

"Edward, I'll talk to you, but I don't want to wear this god forsaken dress anymore. Wait for me in the hallway," I instructed, and he obliged immediately.

Once I was out of the beautiful dress that had torn my heart apart, I searched through my drawers for proper pajamas. I didn't want him to think I cared about him before– but lie to myself as I tried, the hole in my heart pulsed, announcing my true feelings. I settled for a simple pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a white tank top.

"Bella..." Edward started, gazing intently at me. "You're so beautiful." I rolled my eyes.

"Edward there's no use buttering me up. I'm only humoring you with this," I crossed my arms. His face fell, and his eyes glued themselves to the floor.

"Bella, you have no idea how sorry I am. The guys made me do it." He claimed, his velvet voice strained.

"Edward, I'm _so _glad that I'm not worth four hundred dollars." I seethed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. His eyes closed for a moment.

"You heard." It was not a question, but a statement.

"You should know better than to ask me that. I hear everything, Edward. Gossip here travels faster than photons." Why was I bringing Physics into our conversation? Edward ran his fingers through his soft bronze hair. Every inch of me was telling me to accept his apology, to kiss the problems away. But what he had done was unforgivable, or at least, that's how I saw it.

"Why, Edward?"

"I don't know." His eyes rose to meet mine, pleading for forgiveness. The only thing holding me back was the throbbing of my heart.

"I thought I knew you," I whispered. He shook his head, and spoke the last words I was expecting.

"Nobody knows me. Not my friends, not my family, my own parents didn't even know me," He mused, running his hand through his hair again. "But I finally found someone who I _want_ to know me. Bella, you're something special to me," Edward supplicated.

"Edward you really hurt me tonight. It feels like a part of my heart was torn out of my chest and ripped into pieces." I took a deep breath, and felt a tear roll down my cheek. Before it could reach my chin, one of his long fingers wiped it away. I opened my eyes. "You didn't realize how much you meant to me." I whispered, letting him speak.

"Bella, they told me to do it. I was looking for you, I searched everywhere. And then they found Lauren, and... and upped the amount for the bet. I don't know what made me do it, or why I wanted to win the bet so badly. I should have realized that it was stupid, I don't know what came over me. I'll do anything for your forgiveness." Edward begged, his soft hand caressing my cheek. It took all my willpower to back away from him.

"A little bet might not seem like a big deal, but I don't think I can forgive you for breaking my heart," I murmured, before returning to Rosalie and Alice's dorm. He let me go, frozen to the spot.

"No..." He pleaded quietly, but my resolve didn't waver. I closed the door quietly behind me, but not before a broken cry reached my ears.

The rest of the night passed without interruption. I sat at Rosalie's desk, staring absently at the wall. Silent tears trailed down my warm cheeks for the better part of four hours, when Alice finally stirred.

"Bella?" Her voice was frantic when she didn't see me asleep next to her.

"Right here, Alice," I croaked, my throat dry. She darted over to me, the same concern etched in her features.

"Bella, what happened. Tell me the truth." Alice demanded. I took a deep breath, and retold the story of my confrontation with Edward. She tapped her fingers on the desk, thinking. "This isn't good," She murmured, more to herself than to me. Rosalie had woken up halfway through the story, and was listening intently.

"Don't get me wrong Bella, but this seems like a bigger deal than you're making it..." She started hesitantly. Alice and I stared at her, our jaws hanging. "What I mean to say is, Edward was never yours, and you claimed that you would never like him. And here you are, crying because he kissed another girl. Now you won't accept his apology, and he doesn't really even owe you one, because your heart was never his to break in the first place. Do you understand where I'm coming from...?" I nodded slowly, replaying what she just said again in my head. She was right– I had no appanage to be upset with him. I could only be upset with myself, because I didn't see it coming. Edward was not at fault for this whole ordeal.

I was.

But if Edward didn't feel the same way as I did, what _did_ he feel for me? What did he feel for Lauren? Was it truly just a bet, or was it Edward's feelings manifesting themselves? I blinked slowly, looking down at the desk.

This was a test of character. I finally realized that I loved Edward more than I should. I loved him with all of my heart, I couldn't deny myself that. But now that I had decided my heart belonged to Edward, and he broke it, couldn't he take some of the blame? _No, Bella. It doesn't work like that. It's up to you, and only you to accept that Edward might not feel the same way as you. There's always the chance that it's just a bet. By the end of the week, you have to make the decision to either let him go and risk losing your heart, or forgive him._

"Rosalie, can I borrow your phone please?" She nodded, tossing me the device. I flipped it open, and stared at the banner.

_The bigger the love, the more pain afterwards, but the more character it takes to forgive._

I flicked through her contacts, finally finding Edward's number.

"Rosalie, I don't have time to listen to you yell at me. I'm trying to win Bella back." His velvety voice snapped, before the line went dead.

"Oh!" My mouth formed an 'o' as I let out a gasp of surprise. Rosalie was at my side in a second.

"What is it Bella? What did he say?" She demanded, taking her phone back.

"He hung up on me," I started weakly. Alice let out an indignant noise. Rosalie hissed. "He thought I was you, Rosalie... and he said he was trying to win Bella... me... back..." I was dazed. Edward wanted to win me back. Did that mean...

I was out of my seat and out the door before Rosalie or Alice could stop me. I burst through my door, and froze in the same spot as I did earlier this morning.

Because resting on my bed was a dozen red roses, surrounding a stuffed grizzly bear, holding a red heard. I drifted in a dream-like state towards the items, tenderly picking up the bear. Stuffed between the bear and the heart was a folded piece of paper. I withdrew it, and quickly read the note.

_Forgive me, please._

There wasn't a signature, but I knew exactly who it was from. There was no mistaking that elegant script. I hugged the animal to my heart, skipping back to Alice and Rosalie's room. They looked curiously at my 180 degree mood swing, and I simply held out the bear. Alice clapped excitedly, and Rosalie rolled her eyes, smirking.

"Can I see your phone again Rosalie?" She obliged, and I checked her contacts, dialing Edward's number in my own phone. He picked up after two rings.

"Hello?" Hearing his velvety voice directed at me rather than Rosalie was like a choir of angels singing.

"Edward? It's Bella." He gasped.

"Bella? How did you..." I cut him off.

"Rosalie."

"Well... have you been to your room yet?" He sounded slightly nervous. I nodded, before remembering I wasn't talking to him in person.

"Yes... and I wanted to tell you–"

"Good. Listen, will you meet me in the gardens at about six fifteen tonight? It's important." Edward requested. How could I turn him down?

"Of course. I wanted to tell you–" But he cut me off again.

"Excellent. See you there!" And he hung up. I groaned, exasperated. Alice and Rosalie were cackling. "Shut up." I mumbled, chucking Rosalie's phone at her head. It missed, and collided with the wall, sliding in the crack between the bed and the wall. Rosalie grunted, which caused my giggles to join Alice's.

"Okay, so what did he say?" Of course, Alice would need to know all of the details.

"I'm meeting him at the gardens at six fifteen," I said quietly, a smile creeping across my face as well as that viral blush. Alice let out a high pitched screech, one which could shatter a house of glass. "Holy crap, Alice, keep it down!" I exclaimed, clamping my hands over my ears. Rosalie quickly checked the hall, and announced that people were asking who the hell was screaming at nine in the morning on a Saturday, especially after a party. Rosalie quickly apologized for her roommate, whom she claimed had morning issues, and that she would break the habit before it became more problematic. A few girls chucked, ducking back into their rooms. Others shot Rosalie exasperated looks. More still complained about their beauty sleep being interrupted.

"They wouldn't be beautiful no matter how many hours of so called beauty sleep they called," Rosalie murmured, shaking her head.

"Bella! We're going to get breakfast, and then we're celebrating!" Alice squealed again, and clapped her hands excitedly. "Just go like that, no one cares. Take these! Let's go!" She threw a pair of plain flip flops at me, one hitting me in the nose. I slipped them on, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Alice, watch your aim. Next you'll take my eye out." Alice muttered an apology before breezing out the door. Rosalie and I followed her. I knotted my hair on top of my head, and glanced quickly in the reflective elevator doors. I gasped in horror at my reflection.

My hair was a rats nest resting on my head. My eyes were bloodshot, with large purple bags accompanying them. My lips were cracked, a result of my constant lip biting. There were red fingernail marks dug into my arms from where I clutched them tightly, trying to hold myself together. I knew that these same marks would be dug into the sides of my stomach. My limbs were shaking slightly from lack of sleep.

"I look a wreck," I mumbled, tearing my eyes from the image in front of me. Alice and Rosalie chuckled nervously, and the doors opened on the ground floor. I led our little group towards the food court.

After consuming two cups of coffee and a large waffle, I felt slightly more awake. Alice was tapping her fingers impatiently again, having inhaled her hot chocolate and cereal. She was filling me in on the dream she had last night, which was about me. Rosalie ate extremely slowly, testing Alice's patience.

"Rosalie finish eating before I do it for you." She snapped, and consequentially, I erupted into a fit of giggles. Rosalie joined me, milk pouring from her nose. "Oh sweet Jesus, that's disgusting Rose. I'm telling Emmett." Rosalie shook her head violently, still laughing and clutching a stitch in her chest.

"Stop being so evil, Alice." I commanded, still giggling. She rolled her eyes, and recommenced tapping her fingers impatiently on the table. Rosalie ended up dumping the rest of her breakfast in the garbage.

"Alice, I'm seriously going to chop your fingers off. That tapping was the most annoying sound of my life," Rosalie complained as we headed back towards the Henderson building. Alice rolled her eyes, but didn't respond. I linked my arms in theirs, grinning like a lunatic.

"Girls, play nice. Someone has a special event lined up for the night," I reminded them, which set Alice off again.

"Okay Bella, I think I have an idea. I just need your shirt, pant and shoe size." I looked at Alice suspiciously, wondering what on Earth she could be up to. Reluctantly, I gave her what she requested. "Now, you nap." She instructed, pointing to her bed. I nodded, not wanting to strike up another argument. I pulled Alice's covers up to my chin, and was immediately asleep.

"_A girl like you is impossible to find," He said quietly, his eyes endless depths. I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "I love you, with all of my heart, Bella." _

"_I love you, too," I answered, my voice scratchy compared to his deep voice. His eyes were darker than I had ever seen them. I reached up, pushing his hair back. He smiled, his white teeth gleaming. His lips came closer, before finally meeting mine._

"Bella...?" A husky voice awoke me. My eyes shot open, searching for the source.

"Jacob! Hey! Are you feeling better?" I asked, yawning widely. He nodded, his hair falling into his eyes. "You cut your hair?" He nodded again. "Why?"

"I don't really know, just a spur of the moment thing," Jacob smiled. I laughed.

"I liked it longer. But I guess this way is okay too," I felt myself blush lightly. His hair wasn't sleek like the first time I had met him, and it wasn't tied back in a ponytail. It was shaggy, and dropped just before his deep set black eyes. He shook it out of his eyes, shrugging.

"It'll grow back. Anyways, I heard about last night, and I wanted to see how you were coping." He said conversationally. I realized this was typical Jacob– he cared about other people a lot.

"I've been better." I sighed, watching Jacob carefully for his reaction.

"Well, I hate to see you like this. You shouldn't let him get you like this. Edward can't be faithful to a woman– I don't mean to be negative, but it's the truth. There are better people out there. People who will always check up on you when you're sick or hurt," He stated. I tilted my head to the side. Was I reading too much into his statement, or did Jacob just suggest himself to me?

"Jacob, I think I'll be alright. Stay with me though– Alice and Rosalie have some devilish plans for my afternoon, and I'm not sure I can cope." I put a pained expression on my face, and Jacob laughed throatily. He placed his large hand on my arm, and the touch felt warm and familiar, like a lifeboat. I couldn't exactly place where I had felt his touch before, but I was certain I had experienced it.

We passed the rest of the time simply chatting about trivial things, like our favorite movies, our favorite music, what celebrities were horrible– I play slapped him when he called Miley Cyrus 'a hottie.' I personally held a grudge against her for telling me about my feelings for Edward. Rosalie and Alice burst back into the room, holding shopping bags.

"Good evening, sweet child. Alas, who is this? A new friend?" Alice chirped, dropping the bags. "I'm Alice Brandon, and this is Rosalie Hale." Jacob nodded, smiling warmly.

"This is Jacob Black, a really close friend of mine." He seemed to glow when I told them I considered him a close friend. "We've known each other for ages. I didn't know he went here, and we hit it off right away." I added as Rosalie shot me a confused look. Jacob nodded, confirming my story.

"Pleasure to meet you, Jacob." Rosalie said politely, extending her hand for him to shake. Alice immediately started talking to Jacob like they were old friends. Rosalie and I exchanged another glance– apparently, Alice made a very good new friend.

"Okay, can I take a look at what you're going to force me into?" I teased. Rosalie shook her head.

"Lunch first." I checked the clock. It was just past one o'clock. Jacob had succeeded in passing the time with me. I nodded, and swiftly walked out the door. Jacob, Alice and Rosalie followed. Soon enough, Alice and Jacob were arguing over something, which turned out to be the topic of animals. Alice preferred cats, but Jacob was completely pro dog.

Rosalie and I ate lunch in silence, watching as Alice and Jacob continued bickering. It was quite comical, really. Jacob inhaled his pizza, and Alice scolded him for eating too quickly.

"Alice, you ate your breakfast even faster than that this morning," I noted. She shot me a withering look.

"Shut up, Bella." She hissed, before diving back into her dispute with Jacob. I rolled my eyes, continuing on my sandwich.

"Okay Bella, come with me. We'll leave these two to sort out their problems on their own." I nodded, and followed Rosalie back to the dorms. She lifted my outfit out of the bags, and I gasped.

"Rosalie, those shoes must have cost a fortune! And those jeans, they're certainly an expensive brand! Not to mention that shirt! You have to return them, I won't be able to afford paying you back." I shook my head sadly. How did they expect me to give them close to two hundred dollars for a simple outfit? But I had to admit– I was in love with these articles of clothing, more attached to them than I had ever been to something so material. The shirt was a long sleeved thermal type, with cyan flowers and teal doodles. The denim skirt was a little on the short side, but a dark wash, which was my favorite. But the shoes were really something else– they were simple high-top Converse, colored pale blue. **(A/N: All on website.)**

"Bella, don't be ridiculous. You don't need to pay us back," Rosalie scoffed indignantly.

"Yes I do," I argued. "You can't buy me gorgeous clothes like this, and expect me to let it all blow over. Let me get my wallet." I turned and walked towards the door. She grabbed my arm.

"Bella, seriously. Stop being absurd. You will wear this, and you won't pay for it. If you don't let it go, I will tell Tanya about your nightmare. And then she'll make assumptions, and make your life hell." Now that was _way_ below the belt. I huffed furiously, crossing my arms.

"Fine." I stated, wrinkling my nose. "I can't believe you would threaten me that way. I thought better of you, Rosalie." I hissed. Rosalie simply rolled her eyes.

"I do what I can to get things to work out," She replied, a grim smile gracing her perfect features. Her beauty struck me again, and made me wonder about her speech yesterday about girls being jealous of me. How could people find me pretty when I hung around girls like her and Alice? They were simply delusional. I made my way over to Rosalie's bed, and flopped down.

"Wake me up at four thirty, won't you?" I requested, yawning widely. I didn't notice her nod– I was already asleep again.

Right on the dot, Alice leapt on the bed, screaming "BELLA, BELLA, BELLA! WAKE UP SLEEPING BEAUTY! Oh, did you know that Bella is Italian for beautiful? So Sleeping Beauty makes sense for you. SO WAKE UP!" I groaned, opening my chocolate eyes to glare at Alice.

"Shut. Up." She instantly fell silent.

"How do you do it?" Rosalie mused, watching us from Alice's bed. I shrugged, rubbing my eyes, and lifting my head off the pillow.

"It's time to get ready, beautiful," Alice chirped, erupting into yet another fit of giggles. I was about ready to slap her, when I glanced at the clock. I had about an hour and a half to get ready for the night.

"Alright, ladies. I don't want anything drastic. I just want to look like... me." I said lamely. Rosalie and Alice exchanged a look– obviously, _me_ wasn't a description they had in mind. But they would listen to me, I was sure.

It took them a half hour to make my hair look perfect. It waved gently down to my mid back, the front half pulled back into a barrette. A single strand of hair was left, curving to the shape of my jaw. How such a simple hair style had taken them so long was a mystery to me.

Before my face was to be changed, Alice and Rosalie insisted on getting me dinner. They demanded that I wait here, so that there was no chance of Edward seeing me. I sighed, waiting for them. It took them the better part of another thirty minutes for them to arrive.

"Eat quickly." Rosalie instructed, and I obeyed. The pasta they had brought for me was growing cold, and it was bland. Alice handed me a mint after I finished my meal.

"Get dressed please. We promise not to look," Alice teased, squeezing her dark eyes shut. I obliged, my nerves taking over. When I told them they could look again, both of them gasped. I blushed furiously.

"What, do I look that bad?" I teased. They shook their heads in unison, before Alice took over.

She surprised me when she gently brushed mascara on my lashes, glossed my lips, and announced she was finished. During this short minute, Rosalie had turned on her iTunes, and her favorite song was on.

"Bella, it's six oh five!" She announced, as the opening chords played. "_Lace up your shoes eh oh eh oooh!"_ I looked quickly at the clock, then slipped into my shoes, tying them tightly.

"_Here's how we do. Run baby, run!"_ She waved me away, and I started towards the door. She mouthed _run_ and my pace quickened.

_Don't ever look back._

**Authors Note: And there you have it. Three updates in one day! KISS MY FEET, MY READERS, KISS THEM.**

**Actually, don't I'm not sure I would be comfortable with that.**

**Some of you may be wondering-- Is Bella seriously taking him back that easily?**

**The answer is kind of-- he actually didn't do something wrong in the first place. As Rosalie pointed out, Edward wasn't Bella's in the first place, so something as trite as kissing another girl shouldn't be a cause for her infinite hatred. Edwardo is a free agent! note to self: find edward But trust me, this is just the beginning of their problems.**

**Anyways, share your thoughts-- I'm always welcome to ideas. Anyways, I was thinking I need a nickname for Alice and Rosalie, something I can call them together. Writing out their names take up alot of effort on these nimble fingers. If you have any ideas, share share share!**

**Review cause sharing is caring!**


	8. Seven: Twilight

**Disclaimer: I don't own things Twilight-esque. They belong to Stephenie Meyer, much like the copy of _Midnight Sun_ that was leaked through the internet. Now she doesn't know if she's going to continue it, and she was on chapter 13!! For those of you who don't know trite things like I, Bella and Edward share their first kiss on page 282-- chapter 13. So yeah, depressed child here.**

**And now, I give you...**

**Chapter 7: Twilight**

My feet pounded against the pavement as a light mist began to fall from the sky. I wove through the students heading back from dinner, racing towards the gardens. The concealed sun was falling just below the horizon, and the sky was darkening quickly.

When I reached the gardens, I stumbled. He was calmly looking up at the sky, watching the rain fall. His clothes were simple, but they made him all the more beautiful. His jeans hung around his hips, with his button down shirt layered over them. His shoes were almost identical to my own, the only difference being his were black. He was wearing his leather jacket, the one that I had forced upon him last night when I saw him with Lauren. I shuddered slightly at the memory, and took a cautious step forward.

"Hi, Edward." I said very quietly, watching his facial expression. He kept the calm mask on as he turned to me. His eyes roamed over my body.

"Hello, Bella." Edward greeted formally. I continued towards him, finally stopping at his side. His chin was tilted upwards again, his eyes glued to the sky. Droplets of rain spattered onto his forehead, but he didn't move.

"Um, Edward?" He looked at me, and I felt the viral blush return once again. "I'm sorry," I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself. His eyes searched mine.

"Why?" He asked, his tone equal to mine.

"For saying I couldn't forgive you when you did nothing wrong." I answered. I could feel the burning behind my eyes, and I lowered them to the grass so he wouldn't see the first tears fall. I heard him heave a great sigh, before slipping his finger under my chin, and tilting it upwards.

"Bella, it was very ungentlemanly to kiss a girl who wasn't the reason for my existence," Edward pointed out. He dropped his hand from my chin to my own hand, and gave it a light squeeze. He turned away from me. "Will you come for a walk?" I agreed, and he started to lead me deeper into the gardens. He plucked a single red rose as we passed. I looked around, trying to figure out where our final destination would be. I soon recognized the tree with the vibrant red apple on it. Edward dropped my hand, and reached out to pluck the fruit from the tree. He turned it over in his hands, examining it.

"I see what you mean," He murmured, before offering the apple to me. I took it, and cradled it between my two hands. An idea struck me. Edward watched my hands moving, not seeing or questioning exactly what I was doing. After a minute, I offered him the apple. He hesitated before taking it. When he discovered what I had done, my favorite crooked smile passed over his features.

Engraved in the red skin of the apple was a simple heart. But the meaning went deeper than that. He realized that I was willing to give in to temptation. And ultimately, giving in to him. He pocketed the apple– which wasn't a feat since it was on the small side– and took a step closer to me. His arms extended towards me, and I thought he was asking for an embrace. But before I could move, his fingers lightly touched my shoulders, and he slid them down my arms. His viridescent eyes met my brown ones, and his lips brushed together to form words.

"You are my everything," He murmured. I nodded, not letting my eyes tear away from him. He leaned forward slightly, his movements hesitant. But I knew what was happening.

I stood on tiptoe, my feet inches away from his, and took a deep breath. I grabbed the front of his jacket, and crashed my lips to his. It felt like our lips were made for each other– they molded together perfectly. My eyes closed as he lightly wrapped his arms around my waist, tugging me gently closer. My heart fluttered wildly, the hole disappearing. I was growing light headed, and would need to break this immaculate first kiss soon.

I gently pulled my lips away from him, my eyes slowly opening. His green eyes were locked on mine again, the corners of his mouth tugged upwards in a grin. I returned the facial gesture, blushing lightly.

"I told you, you look so lovely when you blush," Edward reminded me, and my blush deepened. He chuckled, lightly pressing his lips to mine again. "There's only one problem." He sighed when we reluctantly separated. I raised a brow, allowing him to continue.

"Lauren asked me to the Sweethearts Ball last night at the party." He looked up at the nearly dark sky.

"The Sweethearts Ball?" Why hadn't I seen posters for this? But then I remembered– the fuschia posters that were plastered on the walls when Rosalie and I were walking back from the gym. "Oh. That..." Edward sighed. "Well, I suppose it's okay. Just promise me one thing." He looked at me, confused slightly.

"You're not mad for me accepting her offer?" I shook my head.

"You have every right to go to a dance with whomever you like. You don't belong to me," I noted.

"Yet. Now, what am I promising you?" His eyes twinkled in the last light of the day.

"Save the last dance for me." He chuckled, and nodded before returning his gaze to the sky. I looked up as well. "It's twilight," I commented. Edward nodded.

"The end of another day, the return of the night. Darkness is so predictable, don't you think?" He glanced over in my direction. I shrugged.

"I like the night. Without the dark, we would never be able to see the stars." **(A/N: Quotation from _Twilight _page 233**.**)** The light rain ceased, and the clouds slowly moved away to reveal a spattering of stars. "But I think... I think twilight is my favorite time of day," I continued, not looking at him.

"And why is that?" He inquired, his eyes glued to my face. I felt my cheeks burn.

"Promise not to laugh?" He vowed that he would never laugh at something important to me, oblivious to what I was about to declare. "It's the first time we kissed," I breathed, finally shifting my gaze to watch his facial expression change.

"Then twilight is my favorite time of day as well," He declared, tightening his grip on me. I rested my hand against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Edward put his chin on top of my hair, and I felt his diaphragm expand as he inhaled the smell of my shampoo. I snaked my arms around his rib cage, taking an inhale of my own. I could stay in his arms forever.

But the fates obviously had other plans.

"Edward!" A shrill voice broke our comfortable silence. I knew who it was, but I turned to look at her anyways. Lauren was prancing towards us, oblivious to our close proximity. Edward moaned, turning his head slightly to Lauren.

"Go away," He murmured, but she either didn't hear, or didn't listen. She pried his arms off of me, and flung her long limbs around his shoulders. I took a step back, holding in a snicker. Edward shot me a horrified look, and I burst out laughing. Lauren was unaware that I was laughing at her.

"I've been looking everywhere for you! Now, I've decided to wear orange, because I'm obviously the only person who can pull it off. So you should get me a blue corsage, and I'll get you a blue boutonniere. Orange and blue are complimentary colors, you know. Then, I was thinking that you should get a black bow tie..." And on she went, babbling about other insignificant details. Edward managed to slide out from her grasp, and wrapped an arm around me. A quick, low pitched hum issued from his mouth, a few notes playing over and over again. I looked at him curiously, wondering what on Earth he was doing, but he shook his head infinitesimally, his eyes glued to Lauren. I sighed impatiently.

"Oh, Swan, how long have you been standing there?" Lauren snapped, her eyes shifting to me. Did she honestly not notice me and Edward intertwined before she interrupted? "And get your filthy paws off my date." I shrugged, tightening my grip on Edward. He chuckled quietly, and Lauren glared at him. "What the hell Edward. Whatever." With that, she turned on her heel and stalked off.

"You really know how to push a girl's buttons," I informed him. He laughed musically, squeezing my shoulders.

"Do I push _your_ buttons?" Edward questioned, looking at me innocently.

"Yes." I replied firmly, sending us both into fits of laughter.

"Do you mind if I do something?" I shook my head no. He slipped his arm off my shoulder.

"Anything but that," I mumbled. He chuckled again, before taking me and hefting me into his arms, bridal style. "Oh!" What was this? "Why are you carrying me? Edward, I'm perfectly capable of walking." But he wasn't listening. He had already started running back towards the dorms. Rosalie was right– he was the fastest person I'd ever seen, regardless of the fact that he was carrying a hundred and fifteen pound girl in his arms.

"I worried that you would trip," Edward whispered into my ear, and I huffed indignantly, crossing my arms and turning away from him. He pushed open the glass doors, and called the elevator, all with me still in his arms, looking away from him. The elevator carried us to the third floor, and he stopped outside Rose and Alice's room.

And still, he didn't let me down.

Edward opened the door, and carried me over the threshold. I felt like I was married to him– not that I had a problem being with him forever. But I wasn't sure how Renee would take that. Alice and Rose sprang up from Alice's bed, where they were reading a fashion magazine, waiting for my return. Edward set me gently on the feet, and gave me a swift kiss on the cheek, before walking out of the room. Rosalie screamed– something I was expecting from Alice.

"You took the words right out of my mouth! Or noise, shall I say?!" Alice exclaimed, clapping her hands wildly.

"Okay Thing One and Thing Two. What do you want to know?" I already knew their answer.

"Everything!" They were so predictable. I sighed, and began reliving the past glorious hour.

"Remember that apple, Alice? Well, he picked it, and then he gave it to me. I carved a heart in it–" She squealed excitedly. "Alice, enough with the interruptions. Anyways, I carved a heart in it, and gave it back to him. Then he said 'You are my everything,' and then I kissed him. And I have to say, experience helps. That was the best kiss I've ever had." I proclaimed dreamily, while they giggled. "And then Lauren comes and starts talking about the sweethearts ball–" Rosalie cut me off.

"Ugh, she's so desperate. Did she try and convince Edward to go with her instead of you?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Actually, Edward was already going with her." Their jaws dropped. Alice's eyes flashed in anger. "She asked him earlier, and being the gentleman he is, he agreed to go. He didn't know I would forgive him... I made the whole ordeal so much bigger than it actually was. So Lauren went up to him and told her the color of her dress. Take a guess at what it was..."

"Green?" Guessed Rosalie.

"Chartreuse?" I shook my head.

"Orange." They stuck their tongues out in disgust. I giggled, before continuing on. "And her corsage color isn't orange... it's blue." I finished, crossing my arms. Alice's eyes lit up. "What is it, Alice?"

"Well Bella, while you were gone, we kind of were looking at dresses. And we found the perfect one for you... and it's blue." She grinned cheekily at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Alice, that's way too obvious." I stated.

"Don't you want to see it?" Alice asked, ignoring my statement.

"No." I said firmly. She pushed her lower lip out, giving me the puppy dog face. "No Alice, I don't want to see it." She sighed, turning away. I felt the sudden urge to see the dress, but suppressed it. There was a light knock on the door.

"Come in," Rose called, not taking her eyes off me. She resembled a proud mother. Emmett burst through the doorway, with Jasper gliding silently in his wake. He spotted me immediately, and bounded over, gripping me in a bear hug.

"Well done, woman! You've got him crazy," He announced proudly.

"Emmett... can't... breathe..." I gasped. Jasper smiled slightly, drifting over to Alice. They sat on her bed, and he pulled her on his lap. Jasper and Alice were complete opposites, but they complimented each other perfectly. Emmett quickly dropped me, and I collapsed on the edge of Rosalie's bed.

"Who?" I inquired, rubbing my side. Did he break one of my ribs? Emmett shook his head in disbelief.

"Edward, that's who. He came to our room, and was all 'Wow.' He was even shaking slightly. I've never seen him like that, and all over a woman? I've never seen _anyone_ react to a chick in that manner." He guffawed loudly. Emmett walked over to Rosalie's computer, and opened her iTunes. He squealed, a noise worthy of Alice, and the new song from the Pussycat Dolls started playing.

"Emmett, please, please don't..." Jasper pleaded, but he was too late.

"_Now I've got a confession. _Come on guys, sing with me! Live a little!" Emmett commanded.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha." I replied half-heartedly.

"THANK YOU, BELLA! _When I was young I wanted attention._"

"Ha ha ha ha." Rosalie joined me this time.

"_And I promised myself that I'd do anything,_"

"Ha ha ha ha."

"_Anything at all for them to notice me._"

"Ha ha ha ha."

"_But I ain't complaining. We all wanna be famous. So go ahead and say what you wanna say. OH! You know what it's like to be famous. Want them to know what your name is. Cause see, when I was younger, I would say–_" Emmett boomed, and I burst into laughter.

"_When I grow up, I wanna be famous, I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies. When I grow up, I wanna see the world, drive nice cars, I wanna have BOOBIES!" _He cried, cackling. Rosalie rolled her eyes while the chorus continued.

"Emmett, it's groupies. Not boobies. Get it right," She lightly smacked him upside the head.

"ABUSIVE GIRLFRIEND!" Emmett screamed, and Alice and Jasper joined me in a fresh round of laughter.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't do that and keep singing my favorite song," Emmett announced. "_Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it." _I covered my ears, and screwed up my eyes, trying to block out his voice. After a few seconds, I chanced a peek at Emmett. His lips were chanting a different part of the song. Rose, Jasper and Alice were in the same position as I was.

"_I always wanted to be a superstar!"_

"Ha ha ha ha?" A velvety voice said from the doorway. Edward was leaning against the frame, watching Emmett in horror. I smiled brightly at him, and he returned the gesture. He sauntered over to Rose's bed, situating himself next to me. He wrapped one arm around me, and I leaned into him, taking a deep inhale. He did the same.

"So this is how we greet each other," Edward murmured, smirking. I nodded, closing my eyes. Now that he was here, I wouldn't have to deal with Emmett's off-key "singing." Edward stood up– I furrowed my brows, but he offered me his hand. I took it, and he led me to the window, opening it all the way, screen included. I watched him curiously. He placed his hands on the windowsill, and ducked his head out. I followed suit.

"It's nighttime," He noted.

"Thank you, captain obvious," I replied, smirking. Edward rolled his eyes, before looking up at the sky.

"How many stars do you see?" He asked quietly. I looked at the sky, and started to count.

"Too many to count." I sighed, giving up after about twenty five. He chuckled, bringing his head back into the room. I took a last, longing look at the sky, before copying him. I was on the verge of asking what song was playing next, when I looked at Edward, and was immediately lost in his eyes.

Everything else in the world disappeared. The only things remaining were Edward and I, lost in each others gazes. He wrapped his arms around my waist, that perfect half smile gracing his full lips. I slipped my arms around his neck, and pulled my mouth to meet his. The second time was just as good as the first. My fingers knotted in his hair, keeping him close to me. In response, he drew my waist closer to him. My lips parted slightly, taking in his heavenly breath.

The moment was broken when Emmett wolf-whistled, and I heard what song was playing for the first time. I reluctantly pulled away from Edward, my breathing ragged. He gave me his half smile again, as we listened to the song.

_Stop and stare._

_I think I'm moving but I go nowhere._

Obviously, they were listening too closely to the lyrics. Everyone was virtually frozen, staring at us. Alice and Rosalie were beaming, Jasper smiled softly, and Emmett was recovering... slightly. I blushed furiously, hugging myself closer to Edward. Emmett leaned over towards Jasper, and stage-whispered "Now I see what he means by _wow_." Well, that was embarrassing.

"Emmett, that is _so_ uncalled for," Rose scolded. He shrugged.

"What? It's the truth. That was the hottest thing I've ever seen in my existence. Well, one of them at least," He wiggled his eyebrows at his girlfriend. Alice gagged, and Edward and I burst into laughter. The movement of our bodies during this act was so appealing to me, it took all of my willpower to press my lips to Edward's again.

Damn hormones.

Edward withdrew one of his arms from around me, and shoved his hand in his pocket. I sighed, glaring at Emmett. Naturally, he had to ruin everything.

"Thanks a lot," I hissed, pressing my shoulders down my back, and gripping Edward tighter still. Emmett guffawed.

"Someone's angry," He noted. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"And she has every right to be." Edward pointed out. I huffed angrily, moving my arms so I could cross them in front of my chest angrily. I leaned against Edward, taking deep breaths, trying to calm down. I was certain that I would regret hurting Emmett. Edward's sweet aroma quickly soothed me, and my eyelids drooped. The lack of sleep I had received was hitting me– hard.

"Bedtime." Jasper deduced. I had hoped that no one had noticed my sudden fatigue, but I should have known better. Nothing got passed Jasper. I nodded slowly.

"You can stay here again, Bella," Alice offered. I was too tired to argue, so I simply kissed Edward lightly on the cheek, afraid that if my lips met his again, I wouldn't be able to tear myself away.

"Goodnight, Edward. Goodnight... everyone else," I yawned widely, collapsing on Alice's bed, and kicked off my shoes. I heard vague voices wishing me goodnight as well. Then everything washed away, as if being pulled away by the ocean current.

I didn't have any nightmares that night, which was a welcome change. It would have been nice if I dreamed of kissing Edward, but I accepted the blackness which prevailed over dreams. I awoke, feeling more refreshed than I had since I arrived. I checked the clock, rubbing my eyes. My mouth opened in surprise.

"You let me sleep until noon?" This must have been hard for Rosalie and Alice. They always seemed so excited in the morning. Alice nodded from her desk, where she was playing a game of virtual solitaire. I stretched, tossing the covers back. "Thank you, for letting me sleep over and for letting me sleep in general." Rose laughed quietly, before returning to her book. Why were they being so quiet? I vowed to find out... as soon as I freshened up. I was still in my skirt and shirt from yesterday. I padded out of their dorm, and next door. Tanya had already left for the day, which I was thankful for. I pulled a pair of sweat pants and a simple fitted tee shirt from my drawers, before snatching a green zip up sweatshirt from a hanger in the little nook that was supposed to be considered a closet. I trudged to the bathroom, grabbing my bag of toiletries on the way. I changed quickly, and brushed my teeth thoroughly. I pulled my comb through my dark brown tresses, before packing everything back up, and returning to Alice and Rose's dorm. I lunged across Alice's bed, covering as much space as possible, before turning on my back to look at them. Their eyes met mine, before looking away quickly.

"So, what's up with all the quiet-ness?" I inquired. Alice and Rose exchanged a glance before Alice explained.

"_Jacob_ needs to talk to you," She spat his name as if it was a spider she was forced to eat. I wasn't aware that their relationship had failed so rapidly. "His dorm room is Seymour 112. He'll be waiting for you." I nodded slowly.

"Did he say why he wanted to talk to me?"

"Why would he confide in us?" Alice's dark eyes narrowed in dislike. I shrugged quickly.

"Oh, okay. I'll be back in no more than an hour." With that, I raced back to my room, sliding my feet into flip flops. As soon as I was outside, I scolded myself for the stupid decision– it was January and I was wearing summer shoes.

In a minute, I was knocking on room 112's door. Jacob's roommate answered.

"Hi. Is Jacob there?" I asked the boy. He was built along the same lines as Jacob, large and muscular, with dark eyes, russet skin and cropped black hair.

"Hi Bella!" Jacob pushed his roommate out of the door. He hissed something that I didn't understand, but Jacob ignored him. He closed the door behind him. "Come for a short walk with me?" Jacob inquired. I nodded, and let him lead the way back outside. We walked towards the lake behind the dorms. Jacob stopped at the intersection of the lake and the trees of the forest surrounding the campus.

"Bella, I was wondering..." He began nervously, looking past me towards the trees. I waited anxiously for him to continue. "Well, I guess you know about the Sweethearts Ball coming up soon... and I was... I was wondering..." He gulped, looking back at me. "Would you um... would you want to go with me?"

**Author's Note: Aw, Jakey is so nervous. But to be honest, this definitely isn't one of my better chapters. I had trouble pacing it just right. I wanted them to share their first kiss, and I wanted them to do it fast. I think this chapter climaxed too quickly, but I managed to pick it up again at the end with Jacob, or so I think.**

**I want to thank mudpie94 for coming up with the idea for my calling Alice and Rosalie Thing one and Thing two!**

**Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! Keep it up, it makes me feel better about my writing ;)**


	9. Eight: Gesture

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, except for the two new characters introduced in this chapter. If anything is too uncomfortably closely thats a tongue twister-- for me at least related to the original text, please let me know-- I will change it to the best of my ability.  
However, I don't want to change the name of this chapter because I think it fits perfectly. Sorry. No copyright infringement intended.  
AND NOW... BELLA'S ANSWER!**

**Chapter 8:** **Gesture**

_Would you um... would you want to go with me?_

My jaw dropped. Was Jacob seriously asking me to the Sweethearts Ball? I hadn't really planned on going, maybe just to the last ten minutes or so, just enough time for Edward to keep his promise. And now, my best guy friend was asking me to go with him? I didn't dance. I couldn't even walk without tripping over my own two feet. I should have mentioned this little fact to Rosalie and Alice before they went crazy over dresses.

"Bella?" Oh right, he was still waiting for my answer. How could I tell him that I didn't want to go without hurting his feelings?

"Um, Jake... I don't dance. At all," I started, biting my lip. His face fell slightly, but he tried again.

"I don't either, and we don't really have to dance. We could just hang out by the food. It's supposed to be good." I sighed, knowing he wouldn't give up.

"Okay, I'll go." _But I won't be too pleased about the whole thing,_ I added silently. Jacob's expression was like a little kid's on Christmas morning.

"Really? Awesome! We'll talk about other details later. Now I guess you have to go back?" I nodded, giving him a little wave before turning, and walking away.

I shoved my hands in my pockets, looking at the grass beneath my feet as I walked back to the dorm. What had I just gotten myself into? I couldn't bear to hurt Jacob, and wasn't I doing just that?

"Oh, crap," I mumbled, looking up. Was I leading him on? My gaze focused on a dark figure against the building. I rolled my eyes when I made the distinction– it was two people, tongue wrestling. Both had blonde hair, but I recognized the faint pink tone to the female's. I groaned, quickly entering the building.

"Miss Swan?" I turned my head towards the person behind the desk– Ryan again. I grinned at him, and he returned the gesture.

"Hi Ryan," I greeted him. He nodded a bit.

"It's about your roommate, miss Denali. She's decided to move out. Your new roommate's name is Skye Holmes. She should be waiting for you in there, no doubt wanting to introduce herself." I nodded quickly, before heading off towards my room, feeling exuberant. Tanya was gone! This certainly was a reason to celebrate.

I pushed open my door, and was greeted by a strange sight. My roommate was sitting on her green and blue striped bedding, in the _Thinking Man_ position. Her bags surrounded her on the floor and bed. I watched her curiously as she remained stock still.

"I heard you coming," She said, her voice a clear, high soprano which reminded me fleetingly of Alice. Her bright blue eyes flickered over to me, and a smile crossed her face.

Skye was beautiful in a unique sort of way. Her dirty blonde hair hung halfway down her back in waves, more voluminous than Rosalie's. Her skin was fair like mine, but had a rosy undertone. Her cheeks were slightly flushed in a way that was very familiar. A strange pattern of freckles dotted her skin, and as I looked more closely, her skin was not as clear as my own. Her teeth weren't perfectly straight, nor were they white as a sheet. Her lips were plump and pink, the lower one a little out of proportion to the top. But she didn't seemed put off in the slightest on her imperfections. She absolutely exuded confidence.

"You're Bella?" I nodded in response, searching for words. Skye straightened up, brushing out nonexistent wrinkles in her jeans, before extending her hand towards me. "Skye Holmes, at your service!" She announced proudly. A giggle escaped my lips as I shook her hand. Skye was roughly my height, maybe an inch taller. Her figure was extremely slender, with little curves. For a second, I wondered if she struggled with eating disorders– but it would be very rude to ask.

"It's nice to meet you, Skye. How long have you been here?" There were so many questions I wanted to ask her.

"I started here my freshman year. I bet you're bursting to ask me more, but it will have to wait for a few moments. I'm waiting for my boyfriend to come and help me finish setting up..." She trailed off, looking hesitantly towards the floor. I nodded, acknowledging the abrupt change in the atmosphere. Skye looked almost... distant, when she spoke of him.

"Having problems?" She shrugged. "I can help as well, if you like. And we can get Rose and Alice– they're our neighbors– to give us a little aid. Then you won't have to deal with the awkward atmosphere," I offered. Skye's lips twitched upwards in a smile.

"I'd like that. Thanks!" She sighed, her expression changing to brooding. "So, Alice and Rose are our neighbors? As in Alice Brandon and Rosalie Hale?" I nodded in confirmation. "Wow... I always thought they were sort of stand-offish. Then you came, and got everyone talking, with you being friends with them and all? Isn't Rosalie's best friend _Tanya_?" She almost spit Tanya's name– I was hard put to keep myself from laughing.

"I think Tanya is getting lower and lower on Rose's friend list with each passing moment," I corrected. Skye nodded slowly.

"You know, Tanya was in my room. We switched roommates– my old one was Lauren. Lauren Mallory. You might know her... I thought they'd gotten in a fight... oh well. But Tanya was unpacking, and Christian– he's my boyfriend– was being overly helpful. I suppose I'll have to watch him more closely for the next few weeks. Come to think of it, he hasn't asked me to the ball yet..." Skye mused, gazing distantly out the window. I watched her, my old worries returning. What if Jacob said something strange? Maybe something about how he wanted to be more than friends? I didn't know what I would do about that. Jacob was one of my closest friends, and I couldn't bear to break his heart. I was shaken from my reverie when the door banged open and a blonde boy entered. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd seen him before.

"Hey Skye," He kissed her on the cheek. Skye pursed her lips slightly, but he was oblivious to the lack of response. "So, what do you need help with?" She narrowed her eyes slightly, gesturing to the bags. He furrowed his brows, nodding. He looked at the bags, then turned his gaze to me. His eyes were hazel and looked as if they were hiding something. "And you're Bella," He stated. I nodded slowly. "Christian Webb." He extended his hand for me to shake. I did so, gingerly.

Unpacking Skye's bags was a slow process. At first, I didn't know how she planned on fitting all of her stuff into this room, but we managed. Alice danced through the doorway about an hour after we started. She watched us for a moment, before making her person known.

"Hello friends! I'm Alice Brandon, your next door neighbor. I suppose Rose will be joining us shortly. She's with Emmett right now," She announced loudly, giggling. I drifted over to my bed, sitting down. Skye and Christian continued unpacking. Alice walked to the window and looked out. She gasped, and let out another giggle. I peered at her curiously, but she shook her head slightly, not looking at me. I attempted to peek around her body, but she shifted so I couldn't get a clear view. I sighed impatiently, flopping down on my pillow. I watched Alice through narrowed eyes as she closed the curtains, then perched on my bed, gazing expectantly at the door.

"Three... two... one." There was a soft knock on the door. She looked pointedly at me. I rose, thoroughly irritated that she wouldn't tell me what was going on. I opened the door, then turned around, letting whomever wanted to come in enter. A familiar hand rested softly on my shoulder, which made me spin around, smiling brightly.

There stood my Adonis, looking as godly as ever. The usual half smile graced his full lips, his bronze hair tousled to perfection, his emerald eyes luminous. In his hand was a single red rose, which he held out to me. I took it, my fingers grazing his hand. An electric current shot through my fingertips and raced through my body, sending my heart off on a frenzy. I yearned to touch his hand longer, forever maybe, but I couldn't move too quickly in risk of losing him. I examined the rose, noticing a few thorns still on. I moved my hand away from the hazards– blood was not my friend. My fingers slid over the soft red petals, my eyes still focused away from him.

"Do... do you like it?" His voice was slightly nervous– an adjective that I never would have expected to apply to him. I shook my head slightly. Like didn't even begin to cover my feelings about this simple gesture. I looked up, expecting my eyes to meet his again, but he was looking another way. My hand involuntarily reached out to touch his cheek, gently turning him to face me. His face burned, with embarrassment? Did he really think I didn't like it?

"I love it," I answered quietly. Edward's lips turned upwards in a bright smile. "But not–" I stopped, blushing bright red. What was I saying? What if he didn't feel as strongly as I did. He watched me expectantly, waiting for me to continue. That wouldn't happen. I lightly shook my head, looking away from me. Edward copied me by placing his hand on my cheek, turning my face to his. His viridescent eyes gazed into my own, and they looked as if they were smoldering.

"But not what?" He asked softly, the velvety folds of his voice putting me into a trance. I opened my mouth to quickly answer his question.

"But not as much as I–" The door burst open and Emmett bounded into the room. I silently thanked him for his poor timing. Edward glared at him.

"Emmett, don't be stupid. Bella was about to tell me something important." Emmett looked shocked. "Why are you so shocked?" Edward spat, sliding his arm around my shoulder. I watched Edward curiously. He glanced at me, noticing my intent gaze. "He just asked the stupidest question. _What did I do wrong?_" He mocked, rolling his eyes. My jaw dropped, my eyes opening in confusion.

"Edward–" He cut me off.

"Bella, don't tell me you think that it wasn't a stupid question," Edward sighed, tightening his grip around me.

"Edward, that's not what I--" Again, he cut me off.

"What were you going to tell me?" Alice shot him an exasperated look.

"Edward, let the poor girl finish." She switched her gaze to me, watching closely. Everyone else followed her gaze. I blushed.

"Edward, Emmett didn't say anything," I said in a quiet voice. Edward was staring at me like I had mental issues.

"Bella, you can't be serious. Didn't you hear him?" He looked around at the small group, his eyes hesitating on Alice. "Didn't any of you hear him?" Edward's voice was almost pleading, begging for someone to confirm that Emmett had spoken. I shook my head, while Alice and Jasper quietly responded 'no.' Everyone else remained still. Emmett's jaw was hanging wide.

"Edward, I didn't say anything. When you glared at me, all I could think about is what I did, and then you burst out, all _Don't be stupid, Emmett,_" He said slowly, amazed. We remained silent for a moment, until Rosalie spoke.

"I bet it's nothing. Emmett does stupid things all the time," She said brusquely. Emmett hit her hard on the shoulder. "And you call me the abusive one," She muttered, rubbing the spot. Edward chuckled weakly. Skye and Christian watched us in awe. It was like they had never seen someone be interrupted before. Alice drifted over to the door, breezing through it. Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett followed her. I turned towards Skye.

"Do you mind if Edward and I take a leave?" I inquired of her. She snapped out of her trance, waving me away. I softly took Edward's hand, and led him out of the room. Once we were on the elevator, I looked closely at his face for the first time since he realized that Emmett had not spoken. On it was a calculating expression, his brows brought together, his eyes crinkled, his lips pursed. He looked as if he was trying to figure out a difficult math problem.

Edward gazed back at me. "What are you thinking?" He asked quickly.

"I was wondering what all that was about," I replied, shrugging. He nodded slowly.

"I was wondering the same thing," He said, his expression becoming more calculating. "I wonder..." He closed his eyes tightly, concentrating. After a few moments, his eyes opened again.

"What were you thinking just then?" He shot at me. I shrugged, not really wanting to admit it. "Please tell me?" His green eyes were smoldering again. I blushed furiously.

"I was thinking about what I didn't want to tell you earlier," I admitted, blushing even deeper. His perfectly full lips turned downwards. It was a sight that made me unhappy. "What's wrong?" I demanded, trying to keep my tone from being rude.

"I'm just trying to figure out what happened, and it's not working out the way I had planned." He smiled wistfully at me, slipping his hand into my own. It was at this time that the shiny elevator doors opened, and he led me briskly out the glass front doors. He continued towards the front entrance of the campus. I couldn't keep the smile at my face, realizing that we were headed for the gardens, a place that I would always treasure.

A chilling breeze swept the flowers as we passed through the preliminary boundaries. I shivered, and Edward quickened his pace, forcing me to break into a reluctant trot.

"Edward, are we almost there? It's cold," I complained, shivering again. All I wanted was to be in his comfortable arms, breathing in his now familiar, but still delicious scent.

"You sound like Lauren," He taunted, chuckling. "Yes, we're almost there." I pouted, and followed him to... wherever he was taking me in the garden. Once we reached the roses, hundreds of red roses, he stopped, picking a fresh one. I checked my hand– I didn't remember dropping the first. He laughed musically, offering me the rose. I took it graciously, a smile spreading across my lips. He continued to walk, slowing his pace so he was next to me. "Doesn't it make you wonder... what would roses be if they weren't roses?" His words sparked something in my mind.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." Edward chuckled. I blushed, realizing that I had just quoted this aloud.

"Won't you continue?" His sweet breath tickled my ear.

"So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes, Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee..." I paused, feeling my breath shorten as Edward's side pressed against mine, his hand squeezing mine. "...Take all myself," I breathed. We were at the edge of the lake, right beside a large beech tree. I leaned against it, sliding down to sit at the roots. He kneeled in front of me, taking both my hands in his.

"I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo," He replied, reciting the words perfectly. I smiled slightly, unable to hold it back. His returning grin was brilliant. Was I taking this whole thing too literally? Was it just in my mind that Edward knew _Romeo and Juliet_? I had never seen him as a romantic tragedy type of person– let alone literary type of person at all.

_Nobody knows me. Not my friends, not my family, my own parents didn't even know me_.His words finally clicked into place– he was right. I hardly knew him. _But I finally found someone who I _want_ to know me._ And I wanted to know him. Now more than ever, I felt the passion inside of me, the craving to reach out and pull his face to mine was so strong. Almost too strong. I gazed at him, searching his face hungrily. Was he fighting the same feeling as well? He couldn't be– he couldn't _love_ me. Even if I was something special... I felt the grin slip off my face. Of course Edward didn't love me. I was just another one of his little girlfriends, sure to be thrown away next weekend. He was an actor, and an excellent one at that. He had proven it to me with his perfect recitation of the play. The flicker behind his eyes that I had once mistaken for passion must have been the lie he was executing so well.

The lie I had fallen for.

How had I been so obtuse? How had I nursed even the slightest inkling that he had real feelings for me? More feelings than he had for Tanya? I was tricking myself in the cruelest way. How could he like _me_, plain, boring Bella, when there were girls like Rosalie? Girls who were sure of themselves, even when they had flaws? Girls like...

Skye. She had reported boyfriend problems. But what if it was the other way around? What if she was the problem, not the victim of the problem? They didn't act as if they knew each other– but I knew Edward to be an excellent actor, so why couldn't Skye be the same?

Edward noticed the change in my demeanor, watched as my expression grew desolate, then incensed. Chagrined anger pulsed through me, the hole in my heart ripping wide open.

"Bella? Bella, what's wrong?" And he called Emmett's question stupid? When he was inquiring the most obvious thing in the world?

"That's a stupid question," I hissed, suppressing my rage. Half of my body was pining for me to pull my hands out of his, and storm away. The other half wanted the last word, wanted to prolong the moment that I left. I settled for digging my nails into his wrists. His expression was confused, but not pained– did he wonder what had caused my sudden wave of fury? Was his concern so overwhelming, he didn't notice me clawing the life out of his wrists? It was taking a long time for him to guess the cause of my anger. "Almost as stupid as me. But I must admit, you sure had me fooled." My voice was venomous, my eyes narrowing. He was oblivious.

"What are you talking about, Bella?" I let out a groan of impatience.

"This whole time, it was just a ploy. How much money was it this time? Five dollars? Ten dollars? Because surely, that's all I'm worth. Now you can go and collect your money from your track buddies, because I'm not falling for it anymore. How could I have believed that Edward Cullen– beautiful, selfless Edward Cullen– would have feelings for me? Me!" My voice broke, my mind unraveling. It spiraled through all the moments we had had together, the happy ones. When we talked at lunch that first day, when he almost kissed me in the hallway, when we discussed temptation in the gardens, when we sat together on the bed, almost kissing again, when we sat on the stairs at the party...

The first time we kissed. And then later that night, when it happened again. After rifling through these memories, I was less sure of myself. I closed my eyes, trying to reassemble my thoughts. When I opened them, and looked back at Edward, he was watching me intensely. I sighed deeply.

"I'm not good enough for you," I told him in a small voice, looking out towards the lake. He shook his head vigorously.

"Bella, what were you just thinking?" His words came out, rushed, excited. I furrowed my brows. Was he confirming that I wasn't good enough for him? "And the only issue we would have concerning said 'goodness,' is if _I_ wasn't good enough for _you_. You're my life, Bella." He said simply. "Now, please tell me. What were you thinking after your voice broke?" His tone was urgent.

"I was thinking about us... when we talked at lunch... that time in the hallway when the headmaster interrupted us... the first time in the gardens... sitting on my bed after school... when we were talking about our families..." I trailed off, reminiscing. "And the times we kissed," I said quietly, turning back to him, the blush vibrant on my cheeks. "The best times of my life," I admitted. His face was torn for a moment, before he leaned forward, and pressed his lips to mine with more passion than I knew existed. His hands slid from my grasp, his arms encircling my waist, hugging me tighter. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer still. _No Bella, this is wrong, he doesn't love you!_ The pessimistic part of my mind was shouting at me, but I payed it no mind.

"This is wrong," I murmured unconsciously. Edward pulled away slightly, leaving just the slightest bit of his perfect lips on mine.

"Is my kissing expertise worse the third time around?" He teased, his lips brushing against mine as he spoke. His sweet breath trickled through my own slightly parted lips, setting an internal struggle.

"No... I don't understand..." My thoughts were becoming muddled as I gazed into his verdant eyes. "I don't understand... why... why me?" I stuttered, blinking in confusion. Why were his eyes so damn dazzling? He chuckled, shaking his head slowly so that his lips brushed against mine. The gesture was so tempting, I could feel my mouth watering.

"Silly Bella... when will you ever see yourself clearly?" I couldn't contain myself anymore. I pressed my lips to his again, pushing away the all-consuming worries. He responded eagerly, gingerly sliding one of his hands lower down my back. I clung to him as if he were the string holding me to sanity, holding me to life. One of his hands left my back, and I quickly realized he would collapse into me if that one hand was not on the tree. I tilted my head sideways, trying to deepen the kiss.

Moments passed, our lips glued together. It was so wrong, but so right at the same time. Wrong, in the case that I didn't understand why he chose to be here with me. Right, because his lips shaped to mine as if they were created just for me. I was growing dizzier, and I knew I would soon have to draw breath. Edward traced his tongue along my bottom lip, before it was gone, his lips grazing my jawline. I sighed, reluctant for the parting, but pleased that it had lasted long, and we were still in contact.

"Ay me!" Escaped from my lips before I could stop it. Edward's full lips returned to mine for a chaste kiss before he spoke, the words rolling from his velvety tongue.

"She speaks: O speak again, bright angel!" I giggled, ducking out from under his arms, feeling frisky. "Bright angel, I said speak, not run away," He complained, pouting. I giggled again, moving quickly– at least, as quick as I could while I was crawling– away from him. He stood, and loped over to me, catching up in a matter of seconds. He flopped to the ground in front of me, grinning.

"In order to pass, you need to tell me the password." He demanded, crossing his arms firmly.

"My oh my, this is Emmett type behavior," I muttered. He laughed, a chorus of beautiful bells ringing.

"I'll give you a hint– close your eyes, and when I snap, open them. Okay?" I nodded, obeying. After a few seconds, I heard him snap his fingers, and my eyes flew open. _Oh!_ His brilliant green eyes were the only things I could see, the flecks of gold brighter than ever. Instinctively, my lips crashed to his. I was just getting around to the part where I wrap my arms around his neck when he pulled away.

"Excellent. You got the password right," He teased, rising, taking me below the elbows. "How about a little game of tag? Since you and I both appear to be in quite the playful mood..." I nodded, knowing that he would win– I was hopeless when it came to running. "I'll even give you a head start," He promised, winking. I smirked. I was still hopeless, but maybe, just maybe... he said I couldn't see myself clearly... I kissed him passionately on the lips, before waving and taking off.

It worked much better than I had expected. I counted to fifteen in my head before looking back. He still looked dazed. I chuckled– who knew _I_ could be dazzling? And even to Edward... well that was something else. I ran as quickly as I could– even though it wasn't very quickly at all– before tripping on a root. I yelled out in surprise, before landing flat on my stomach. Edward was by my side in a flash.

"Bella? Bella, what's wrong?" He had said these words so recently, but now they seemed to have a different meaning to me. I was definitely okay– much, much better than okay. Who wouldn't be okay with Edward near them?

"I'm fine," I replied quickly, flipping onto my back and sitting up. "See? Healthy as a horse." I smiled at him like a maniac. He let out a soft laugh. "Oh, Edward? Why were you asking me what I was thinking? You never asked me that before... at least, I don't remember anything about that..." My lips twisted downwards in a concentrated scowl. Edward softly placed his index fingertips on the corners of my mouth, pushing it upwards. I laughed, and his smile was brilliant.

"Won't you tell me why you wanted to know what I was thinking?" I asked, focusing on making my expression dazzling, just like his. He sighed, dropping his hands from my face. How I longed to snatch his hands and place them where they belonged...

"I have... a theory..." He sighed. "Come to dinner with me tonight, we'll go out. I'll tell you then," He promised. I nodded. I wouldn't let him forget this particular promise.

Curiosity killed the cat.

**Author's Note: Now, don't be too upset. Bella just _had_ to say yes to Jacob. I wouldn't have it any other way. It creates my favorite thing-- romantic conflict.**

**READ AND REVIEW!**


	10. Nine: Accidents

**Disclaimer: I don't own these here Twilight Characters.**

**Author's Note: A little clarification for those of you who were confused during _Gesture:_ Bella said yes to Jacob, then she sees someone making out with Tanya against the building, and this person will be revealed later. Then, Bella's informed that Tanya moved in with Lauren, and she's getting Lauren's old roommate. They chit chat blah blah, then Alice looks out the window and sees Edward with a rose. She knows he's coming for Bella, and doesn't want to ruin the surprise. Then the whole "three...two...one" enter Edward... I just had to do that :D. Edward gives Bella the rose, Emmett interrupts Bella, Edward has a strange thing happen, then they leave.  
At the lake, Bella and Edward recite a few lines from Romeo and Juliet. Yes, you may "aww" and Bella notices how good an actor Edward is. Which leads her to the conclusion that he was acting, and his feelings for her were fake. Her mind loosens like crazy and her thoughts reel. More info on that bit later... and Bella realizes that there's a possibility his feelings are real. She tells Edward she doesn't think she's good enough for him, and wants to know why he likes her.  
I don't want to go on too much, so if you're still confused, PM or post a comment!**

**Without further ado...**

**Chapter 9: Accidents**

The sun was progressing across the sky, and quickly started to sink below the treetops. I lay my head against Edward's chest, inhaling deeply.

"Bella?" He murmured into my hair. My lips barely moved when I responded.

"Yes?"

"Don't try and leap onto Alice's bed. Ever." What was this about? I turned my face to his– very reluctantly for that matter, as I wanted to continue listening to his heart forever– to stare at him in confusion. He read my expression. "For some reason, it feels like she's... shouting at me. Telling me to warn you not to lunge across the room in attempts to land on her bed," He answered my unasked question. I nodded slowly, not pressing him for more information. We sat motionless again.

"Bella, what color is your dress?" Edward asked me suddenly. I blushed, looking down.

"I um... prefer the element of surprise?" My voice raised slightly at the end. Damn nerves. Damn Edward for making me nervous. I would never get used to him– not his voice, not his questions, not his beauty... I took a deep breath, inhaling his intoxicating scent. He chuckled, pressing his lips to my hair. "We should probably go back. I feel sort of bad for ditching her while she was unpacking, considering I should be helping. Not that Tanya helped me much. But I'd so rather staying with you here forever," I mused, sighing deeply. He tucked a finger under my chin, touching his lips to mine briefly. I giggled, something that I had been doing a lot lately. Before he could completely pull away, I crashed my mouth to his, pulling him nearer.

"Oh Bella, how I wish we could stay like this forever," He murmured, his lips pulling up at the corners against mine. His eyes were surveying mine for my reaction.

"You and I think alike," I replied, much to his amusement. He chuckled, rising, taking me along with him.

"I don't think so..." Edward's tone was brooding. His brilliant green eyes flashed to mine, and I noticed the flecks of gold in them. I nearly fainted at his flawless beauty. "Would you mind if we ran?" I nodded. "May I carry you? I'd feel more comfortable if I knew that you weren't tripping over invisible roots..." I frowned, crossing my arms in front of my chest. He chuckled, picking me up bridal style. I groaned as he took off, his feet pounding aggressively against the grass.

"That was a longer leave than I expected," Skye taunted when Edward carried me into the room. I blushed as Edward squeezed my hand tightly.

"You know how we couples do," He retorted easily. My cheeks scorched with the blood rushing to the surface more forcefully than before. Did that make us official? I would find out at dinner tonight, I supposed.

"Edward, just curious, but what time are we going to dinner tonight?" I asked him quickly, wanting to know his response immediately. He shrugged, idly playing with a piece of my hair. I frowned slightly, leaning against him. "Won't you tell me?" I purred, using my newfound power of him. He easily took the bait, and I felt immensely guilty– I wouldn't do it again, I vowed.

"How about six thirty?" I nuzzled my face into his strong chest, nodding. I felt his chest rumble with soft laughter, and I smiled. "We'll leave in an hour." My head shot up to check the time. Five-oh-five glared back at me in red letters.

"I should change. Don't want to go out to dinner in sweats," I noted, and Edward nodded.

"I was planning something semi formal– dark jeans and a blouse will do," He replied with a smirk. I rolled my eyes, moving towards my closet.

That was when Alice danced in.

"Good evening love birds!" Edward and I rolled our eyes in unison. Skye chuckled, slipping out of the room. "How about some food in those empty stomachs of yours? I know for a fact Bella hasn't eaten all day," She chirped brightly. I stuck my head out from the closet, preparing to announce to Alice the news.

"Bella and I are going out for dinner in an hour." Edward beat me to the punch, throwing his lopsided grin my way. I giggled quietly, returning to my closet. Alice squealed, yanking me out by the arm. In my hand, I managed to hold onto a blue sweater that I really liked.

"Let me get you ready! Edward. Out. Now." She ushered him towards the door, the lock clicking as it swung shut.

"See you in an hour, Bella," He called from the other side of the door. I glared at Alice.

"Excuse me, you just kicked... Edward... out of my room," I remarked angrily, crossing my arms. She rolled her eyes.

"You should be used to this by now. Edward isn't allowed to see you until you're completely ready. Now, that shirt will look nice, lets find a nice pair of dark jeans and some er... some shoes," She retorted, losing her focus some on the last bit. I watched her curiously as she thought for a moment, then sprung to my closet. After a few moments of digging, she withdrew a pair of jeans I didn't know I owned. As a matter of fact, there were a lot of things I didn't recognize in my drawers lately...

"These will work." She tossed them lightly to me– I reached for them, but they passed through my outstretched arms onto the floor. Alice scoffed. "Bella, you really are hopeless when it comes to any sort of athletics," She noted, shaking her head lightly. I sighed, slipping out of my day clothes and into what Alice had supplied me with.

"Shoes?" I asked, peering at her. I thought I saw a smirk flash across her face, but before I could confirm anything, it was gone.

"Makeup and hair first," Alice proposed, sitting me down at my desk. "On second thought, just hair. No offense, but makeup would ruin your face. Actually, take that as a compliment– you look perfect as is." I smiled a bit, letting her fingers claw through my hair.

The whole ordeal was very quick. Alice simply fluffed my hair a bit, saying that I was stunning. I mildly wondered why she was complimenting me so much, but brushed it off. After a moment, I excused myself to the bathroom– I had a few womanly issues to deal with.

When I returned to my room, Alice was whispering hurriedly into my phone. "She's back," She hissed, snapping shut my phone. I held out my hand, but she quickly opened the call history, and deleted the most recent call. She then placed the phone into my waiting palm.

"Who was that?" I asked casually.

"No one important," She responded in equal indifference. I wrinkled my nose and stuck my tongue out at her– she smirked. I checked the clock– there was still thirty minutes until Edward and I were to leave. I sighed, perching on my desk next to my computer. I pulled it onto my lap, and flicked it on.

"Oh Bella, can I show you something?" Alice asked me after a few minutes, her eyes sparkling.

"That depends..." I replied, my eyes searching hers for answers. They revealed nothing. She motioned towards my computer, and I placed it back on the desktop, sliding off the desk to kneel on the floor next to her. Her fingers stroked the keys lightning quick, and before I knew what was happening, she was showing me a picture of a dress. It was, as she said, blue, but brighter than I had expected. The hem was asymmetric, shorter in the front, the back just above the floor. The top half was satin and blue flowers were embroidered along the edges, also placed cleverly throughout the entire bodice. It was breathtaking.

"Alice..." I moaned. I wanted this dress so much. What was happening to me? Ever since I had met Alice, I was starting to like clothing more. And this dress was no exception. I pined for it more than almost anything. _Almost_ anything. "Alice, I can't dance." My voice was choked, mixed with my need for the dress and the fear I held for dancing.

"So? You're only dancing one dance." She shot back. I hesitated– I didn't know if I was dancing with Jacob or not, and if I had the choice, I would not be. But I couldn't deny Jacob at least one dance if he asked. "Bella, what are you hiding from me." It was not a question– it was a demand. I was about to speak when she held up her palm, her eyes glazing over.

"You're going with someone else?" She whispered after a moment, her gaze focusing on me. My cheeks flushed bright red, unveiling the truth. Alice sighed deeply. "Well, Edward _is_ going with another girl. I suppose you have every right. Now, tell me. Who's the lucky boy?" The twinkle was back in her eye.

"Well, um... we're just going as friends," I started cautiously. I was remembering how much Alice hated Jacob. She looked pointedly at me, waiting for me to continue. "I'm going with Jacob..." Her reaction was similar to what I expected. She snarled, clenching her fists. "Just as friends! He asked me and I felt bad, I didn't want to hurt his feelings! Just friends, nothing more," I promised. Alice continued to glare at me, and I looked away, my blush deepening. I stared at the clock, which now read five fifty.

"Alice, where am I meeting Edward?" I asked, returning my gaze reluctantly to her. She sighed deeply.

"Just out front. I'll get you your shoes..." A devilish smirk passed across her face as she flitted back to her room, probably to search through Rosalie's closet. This was not a good sign. She returned, holding the shoes by the heels.

"Nuh uh, no way Alice. Absolutely not." They were death traps, to say the least. They were black leather, the tops fastened with a silver ring. The heels were like spikes– of doom– raising about 3 inches high. "I'm going to break my neck!" I whined, sounding like a child.

"Silly Bella, that's where Edward comes in!" She giggled. I moaned, giving in. At least Edward wouldn't let me die. I regretfully took the heels, and slipped them on my feet. As I stood, I wobbled dangerously. Alice caught me by the elbow. "I'll walk you downstairs. Got everything you need?" I grabbed my purse, then nodded, starting towards the door, walking carefully as to avoid breaking an ankle. She accompanied me down the stairs, and left me at the door, kissing me quickly on the cheek in farewell. I pushed open the doors, and stepped cautiously out into the mid-winter evening.

Edward had his back to me, unmoving and glorious. His tousled bronze hair danced in the slight breeze. His gaze was directed upwards, his hands clasped behind his back. I slowly made my way over to him, taking one of his hands gently.

"Hi," I greeted quietly. Edward looked over at me, and I had the satisfaction of watching his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when he took in my appearance. He composed his features, smiling crookedly.

"Hello." His voice was like a breath of fresh air. I was capable of anything with him right there beside me. I grinned back like a lunatic. "Shall we?" He asked, tightening his grip on my hand. I nodded, clenching my jaw, not allowing myself to speak. If my teeth moved even the slightest bit apart, a flow of words would tumble out of my mouth like a rolling river. He led me to a sleek, silver car that looked rather expensive. _Everything of Edward's was rather expensive,_ I thought to myself, eyeing the grill which read _Volvo_. I exhaled sharply through my nose. He heard it.

"Not luxury enough for you?" He teased, leading me to the passenger's side and opening the door for me. I sighed.

"Quite the contrary, actually. You know, in Forks, most people have old Chevy pickups and Fords and stuff," I pointed out. He chuckled, walking quickly to the drivers side, and buckled his seatbelt. I followed suit, then turned my body to look at him. "I think it's strange that I've met Dr. Cullen, and he hasn't said a word about you. And I'm a regular patient there, with all my accidents." I shook my head morosely, causing Edward to laugh again as we raced away from the campus. I glanced at the speedometer, and shrieked. Edward jumped, looking immediately concerned. "Holy crap, Edward! Ninety? Already?!" He rolled his eyes, returning his focus to the road.

"I always drive like this. And Carlisle doesn't usually bring his personal life into the hospital, no matter how close he is to the patient." He shot a cheeky grin in my direction. I scoffed.

"I think I'm more than just a patient," I mumbled, looking out my side window. Edward was silent for the rest of the drive. When the car stopped, I looked around. We were parked outside a small Italian restaurant called _Gianni's_. Before I could move, Edward was out of the car, and on the passenger's side, opening the door for me. He held out his hand– which I gratefully took– and helped me out of the car. I managed to stumble even with his firm grip. He slid his hand out of mine, and around my waist, leading me into the restaurant. The Italian host smiled brightly at us as we entered.

"Ciao, and welcome to Gianni's Ristorante Italiano! Please follow me to your seats." With that, he led us into the restaurant. Edward quietly requested a private area, slipping the man a tip. He obliged, leading us to a nearly vacant terrace. I shivered, but didn't mind. Edward slipped out of his jacket, and held it out to me. I examined what he was wearing– a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows.

"Are you sure?" I asked him, flicking my gaze from his beautiful body to the jacket, and back again.

"Bella, didn't I tell you that you are my life? Nothing matters to me more than you– your happiness, your health, everything. So please take my jacket so you don't catch a cold," He replied, his emerald eyes twinkling. I took the jacket, and slipped into it, inhaling deeply. "Thank you," He said, grinning crookedly. I raised a brow.

"Thank me? Thank _you_," I insisted as he pulled out the chair for me to sit down. He sat down across from me.

"I'm partial to that color with your skin," Edward commented, staring at my shirt.

"Thank you," I muttered, the blush tainting my cheeks bright red. We chatted about little things, while the waiter filled our glasses with water.

"What would you like to drink?" He asked in a thick Italian accent.

"A coke, please," I replied politely.

"Two cokes," Edward corrected, not looking away from me. My blush, impossibly, deepened.

"And to eat?" I glanced quickly at the menu.

"I'll have the ippoglosso." That was the first thing on the list.

"The pollo marsala for myself," Edward replied, after his eyes quickly scanned the list. I couldn't help but smile at my good fortune– I was sitting across from Edward Cullen, who had invited me to dinner. There was no other person I would rather be with. The server nodded, walking away. Edward looked back at me.

"So..." I started, folding my hands on the table. Edward reached out, and placed his hands on mine.

"So what?" He asked me, smirking. I bit my lip.

"So, are you going to tell me about your... theory?" I asked, my eyes watching his carefully. He sighed, looking away.

"Well..." He started, staring off towards the doorway. "Let me try and think of how to put it." His brows furrowed, still gazing at the doorway. My eyes were glued to his perfectly chiseled profile. Someone came by and placed a basket of bread on the table. "Promise your opinion of me won't change for the worse?" He pleaded, his eyes flicking back to mine. I nodded vigorously.

"Miss?" It was the waiter. I turned towards him, frowning.

"Yes?" I asked, my voice sharper than intended.

"I think you sat in spaghetti sauce..." He replied hesitantly, his eyes straying to my seat. I nodded, grabbing my purse.

"Thank you, be right back, Edward." With that, I trotted off towards the bathroom to clean up as much of the spaghetti sauce as I could. When I stared at my butt in the mirror, the color drained out of my face, chagrin rushing throughout my body.

That wasn't spaghetti sauce.

I fumbled through my bag for my phone, tears springing into my eyes. I leaned against the wall as the phone rang, as they leaked out.

"Hello?"

"Alice," I moaned, my voice cracking.

"What is it, Bella?" Alice asked sharply, concern laced through her voice.

"My period... my pants..." My voice was hoarse. I heard Alice take a sharp inhale of breath.

"I'll come and bring you a new pair. Then you can continue your night. Where are you?" She asked quickly.

"Gianni's in Everett, I think," I responded immediately.

"See you in ten minutes." Then she hung up. A sob escaped my lips as I rushed to a bathroom stall, locking it behind me. I sunk onto the toilet seat, hugging my knees to my chest. I rested my forehead on my knees.

"Bella? Bella, are you okay?" His distressed voice was muffled by the door.

"Go away," I wailed. I heard him sigh in exasperation.

"Bella, do I need to come in there and see you for yourself? Are you okay?"

"Leave me alone." It wasn't working. He was just too worried. I heard the door swing open, and watched his shoes as they walked towards my stall– the only one that was locked. He knocked softly.

"Bella, I'm not going to hurt you," He cooed. I sniffled, and shook my head violently.

"I won't let you see me like this," I whimpered, tears sliding down my face.

"Bella, please tell me what's going on. I'm worried about you," He explained, and I heard his palms make contact with the stall door. "Bella, please," He pleaded, his voice breaking. I felt my arms unwinding from my knees, my feet hitting the floor, my hand reaching out for the lock.

And then I was in Edward's arms.

"Bella, what happened? Please tell me," He urged, kissing the top of my hand, his arms squeezing me lightly.

"Edward, my period leaked through my pants," I groaned, nuzzling my face into his chest, seeking comfort. "What if everyone at school finds out? I'll be the laughing stock of the century." He tightened his grip on me.

"Bella, I won't let anyone hurt you, _ever_," He vowed. "I'll always be here to protect you." I looked up at him, my eyes puffy, my cheeks splotchy. He pressed his lips to my forehead. "I should have known it was a woman thing," He murmured into my hair. I giggled weakly.

"Thank you," I whispered, reaching towards his neck, and placing my fingers lightly on it. "For this. For being here. Thank you for everything. Edward, I... I..." I took a deep breath, bracing myself. I had admitted to myself that I was in love with Edward, and I always would be. It was unconditional, and irrevocable. I'd loved him since I saw him that first day, glued by the lips to Tanya. "I–" The door burst open. Edward jerked his head instinctively towards the door. The woman shrieked.

"MAN IN THE BATHROOM! SECURITY! SOMEONE!" I ducked my head into Edward's chest, giggling ferociously. A worker rushed to the woman's side.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask why you're in the bathroom," The man said sternly. I felt Edward shrug lightly.

"I was just comforting my girlfriend." Shivers rippled down my side– his voice mad the word so beautiful, and it was wonderful to know he was talking about me. "You see, she's dealing with a hard time right now, and I need to be there for her," He continued cooly.

"Alright, but please excuse yourself, there are obviously women who feel uncomfortable with you here." I peeked at the woman– she didn't look uncomfortable, just surprised and a little put down. I wondered why that was. Edward pulled me along with him, and the woman watched us leave.

"Alice," I said, remembering that she would be here in ten minutes. That ten minutes surely was coming to a close.

"I'm Edward," He reminded me with a chuckle. I rolled my eyes.

"No, I mean Alice is coming and bringing me a new pair of pants," I corrected with a blush. He nodded, comprehension dawning. "We should meet her out front." I led him out the door, after assuring the host we would be back shortly. The cool breeze whipped at my face, cooling my burning cheeks. Edward wrapped his arms tighter around me, resting his chin on my head. I sighed, and waited for Alice.

About a minute later, a canary yellow Porsche zoomed into the parking lot. A petite girl with spiky jet black hair exited gracefully from the car, a pair of jean shorts in her hands. I groaned– I was going to freeze in those. She flitted over to my side, giggling.

"Nice to see you're keeping her warm, Edward. I knew shorts was an excellent decision!" She exclaimed, resting the shorts on my shoulder. "Go change. Edward and I will wait... at the table?" She looked questioningly at Edward, who nodded as her stomach growled loudly.

"Have you eaten yet, Alice?" I inquired of her. She simply shrugged, unhooking me from Edward, and shoving her off towards the bathroom.

"Let me talk to my dear brother." She grinned mischievously, as I turned and strode away.

In the bathroom, I tossed cool water on my cheeks to help the burning blush go away. I returned to the stall that I had been in before, and cleaned myself up.

Edward and Alice were sitting at our table, Alice perched in the place where my seat had been. But I was positive it wasn't the exact seat I was sitting on.

"There are two possible places for you to sit," She said slowly, the grin returning to her face. I rolled my eyes, pulling up a chair. If a certain inadvertence happened again, I wouldn't want to be sitting on his lap.

Dinner passed quickly, Alice keeping the conversation going animatedly as she munched on bread sticks, occasionally stealing bites from Edward and myself. She waved goodbye, clambering into her Porsche and speeding away. I sighed, leaning against Edward while we walked towards his car.

"She loves that car," Edward mused, his eyes glued to the road. I watched the trees blur as he picked up speed before looking over at him. "I gave it to her for Christmas last year. She almost made me buy it for her earlier. Porsche 911 turbo..." He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. I reached out and touched the top of his hand. He grinned, dropping his hand onto the elbow rest. The rest of the ride passed quickly and silently, as I traced his bluish veins on his hand. When the car came to a stop, Edward let go of my hand, and started to open his door. I quickly placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Wait," I whispered. He obliged, turning back towards me. "I wanted to do something... where people can't watch us." With that, I closed the distance, crashing my lips to his. His arms wrapped around me, and I was home. His tongue lightly traced my bottom lip, and I coerced. My fingers traced the collar of his shirt, his running down my spine. When he reached my shorts, I pulled away. "Okay, I think that's enough for now," I teased, blushing lightly. He gazed hungrily back at me. I turned, opening the car door, and stepping out. I stumbled– damn death traps. I kicked them off, and held them by the heels. Edward was by my side in an instant, offering me his arm.

"What was the hold up?" Alice demanded from my bed as soon as we walked into my room.

"Excuse me Alice, but this is my room," I retorted. She rolled her eyes shooting up.

"Fine Bella. Be that way. I'll see you tomorrow in class," She growled, but as she stalked out of the room, she winked knowingly at me, a smile crawling across her small features.

"Bella?" Edward's soft voice came from farther away than I had through. I turned to see him picking up a small piece of folded paper on my desk. He handed it to me, watching me open it.

_Bella,_

_I went home to my parents for a few days. I needed a break._

_Call me if you need me._

_Skye_

Below her name was a post-script with her number. I sighed, shoving the note in my pocket. My eyes flashed to his.

"Stay with me tonight?" I pleaded, looking longingly at him. He nodded at once, chuckling quietly.

"But first, give me some time to get ready for bed. I'll meet you back here in forty five minutes?" His laughter was louder now. "What?"

"I'm just surprised. Most girls ask for at least an hour. But forty five minutes is perfect... though I wish it was five... the sooner to see you again," He murmured, causing my viral blush to burn across my face. "See you in forty five minutes." He gave me a chaste kiss on the lips, before loping gracefully out of the room. I gawked after him for a full minute.

When I burst into Alice and Rosalie's room thirty minutes later, Alice's face lit up.

"Hey, Bella! Don't do anything I wouldn't do with Jasper tonight. Just because you're sleeping with him doesn't mean you need to get all feisty," She greeted me. The blush flashed across my face, burning with chagrin.

"You heard?" I squeaked. She shook her head.

"I saw," She began, looking at Rosalie. "Bella, sometimes I see the future. Just quick flashes of it, but still." She giggled, and it was a slightly nervous sound. I nodded slowly, remembering that Edward had a secret to tell me. I would have to press him for it later tonight. "Now go on, Edward will be back soon!" She shooed me away.

"Sleep tight, Bella!" Rosalie called after me, sending herself and Alice into a fit of giggles. Was I just imagining the double meaning of her words? The door clicked shut behind me, and I padded back to my room. I perched on the edge of my bed, fiddling with my fingers nervously.

It was in this position that Edward found me in. I looked up as I heard the door close, and smiled weakly at him. His returning smile was dazzling.

"You need a lot of sleep tonight. From what I hear, you haven't been sleeping all too well lately," He noted, and my smile turned sheepish. He lay back on my bed, opening his arms. I cuddled into his strong chest, closing my eyes, waiting.

But sleep didn't come.

"Edward?"

"Yes... Bella?" His voice was strained, and I noticed the hesitation in his voice when he said Bella. What was that about?

"Two things. First, you owe me a theory. Second, how am I supposed to sleep with you here?" I whined the last thing. Edward's chest rumbled with suppressed laughter. I felt his vocal chords vibrate as he started to hum a sedative tune. It sounded like a lullaby. Before I could force him to answer my questions, I was pulled into unconsciousness.

"_You always want what you can't have  
But I've got to try  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will_"

A hand was softly stroking my hair as I stirred. My alarm clock was going off, but it was the velvety voice singing the lyrics that made me smile.

"Good morning, beautiful," He whispered into my ear, causing me to shiver in pleasure. "It's time to get up." I shook my head vigorously, clutching him closer. "Bella, we have to go to class," He reasoned, the amusement obvious in his voice. I groaned, looking up at him.

"Do we have to?" I whispered, stretching my neck as far up as it would go– his chin– and placed my lips on it. He lowered his forehead to mine.

"You always make decisions difficult, Bella. We could skip school, but what would your teachers think of you?" He sighed deeply, and I could almost hear the longing to skip.

"I guess you're right," I replied, furrowing my brows. "I don't want to get kicked out," I continued, grudgingly rolling out of bed. I trudged over to my closet, picking out a pair of tight fitting sweat pants– surely one of the unknown purchases– a brown tank top and a white sweatshirt. "When you're ready for class, come back here. I'll be waiting." I gave him what I hoped was a seductive wink, before I snatching my bag of toiletries, and flounced out of the room towards the bathroom. I changed, then brushed my teeth, trying to be quick and thorough. I tugged my brush through my hair, not even bothering to make it look pretty. It was tied back into a loose ponytail, and I was rushing back towards my room.

Edward had beaten me– he was lying, smiling hugely, across my bed. I tossed my bag of toiletries on my desk, and grabbed my backpack. He didn't move. I pretended to be impatient, resting my hands on my hips and tapping my foot. In one quick, lithe movement, he stood up, and pulled me into his arms. I melted into the embrace, inhaling deeply, as I usually did. When he let go, I slid my hand into his, leading him out.

Alice was waiting– impatiently– for me in Government. English had flown by– one minute I was sitting down, the next Mike was talking to me about the ball, and then class was over. I supposed it was the euphoric mood I was in.

"Bella," She greeted quickly. "Okay, enough with formalities, tell me what happened last night! Every detail! What happened before I came to dinner? Why did you take so long? And most importantly, _how was he?_" My face burned with chagrin as the last three words left her mouth.

"Alice," I half hissed, half moaned. "You don't know who's listening." I looked pointedly at the person behind her, who's eyes were glazed over. "Before you came, we just talked and ordered dinner. Then the waiter came and um... informed me... and then you came. It took us the same amount of time to get back, we just had a little hold up in the car. And no, we did not have sex. I don't even know if he likes me that much," I concluded morosely. Alice stared at me in disbelief.

"Bella, open your eyes. Then come back to me with that last comment," She scoffed, turning to face the whiteboard. I mulled over her words for the rest of the day. Open my eyes? So there was definitely something I was blind to, and that something was concerning Edward. Try as I might, I couldn't believe that he was smitten.

"Earth to Bella." A musical chuckle aroused me from my brooding. I started, turning to Edward. "Have you paying attention to anything at all?" A shake of the head. "Silly Bella," He chuckled again. The bell rang, and we stood up. Edward's fingers intertwined with mine as we walked slowly towards Biology.

Today's lab was just as dull as every other one. Edward and I, as usual, were the first to finish. We passed the period talking about a strong feeling– jealousy. Edward claimed that he had never been jealous in his life. I sighed, not wanting to strike up an argument.

He kissed me swiftly on the cheek, before heading to Spanish, which was his last hour class. I grinned at Rosalie as I entered the girl's locker room.

"Hey Rose," I greeted her. She smiled back, and I was thankful that she wasn't pelting me with questions– then again, Alice had probably told her everything during lunch. Someone tapped me lightly on the shoulder. I turned to look at the girl.

"Bella? This fell off your pack." I recognized the girl from Biology– her hair was light brown, brushing just past her shoulders. Her cheeks were faintly pink, and her eyes were dark brown. She held up a small, tear drop-shaped charm hanging from a chain. I opened my palm, and she dropped it in.

"Thanks, Angela." Angela smiled a little at me. "Did you go to that party the other night?" She shook her head as we walked out of the locker rooms– Rosalie had already left.

"No, I had to write an essay for English." A pained expression crossed her face. I laughed.

"It wasn't that great– actually, it was horrible." I shuddered. "I can't dance. I stumble, trip, the whole deal." It was Angela's turn to laugh quietly. Everything about her was shy and reserved. It was then that Coach Creston blew her whistle– we were still on basketball. I stayed on the sidelines, not wanting to hurt myself, let alone anyone else. I watched Angela and Rosalie quietly, waiting for the class to be dismissed. When the final whistle blew, I nearly tripped in my haste to return to the lockers.

My Adonis was leaning casually against the wall outside the gym, waiting for me. My face lit up as I noticed him. Edward grinned crookedly at me.

"Hi," I squeaked. He offered me his hand, which I gratefully took.

"Hello," He said musically. I leaned into him, devouring his intoxicating aroma. My heart picked up when he stopped outside our dorm building. He pushed me gently against the wall, and pressed his lips to my neck softly, then to the corner of my jaw, my cheeks, my nose, each corner of my mouth. They finally reached their destination. We went through the same routine as last night, before continuing on. One of his hands was placed firmly on the small of my back, the other flat on the wall. My hands were locked in his bronze hair, pulling him closer.

After a few glorious moments, I couldn't breathe. He gently pulled away, his eyes dazzling. I smiled hesitantly, trailing my fingers to his hands. Edward started walking slowly towards the door, and I followed him to the elevator. When the silver doors opened, I skipped out, dragging Edward with me. I dropped his hand, pushing Alice's door open. I was feeling so euphoric, I couldn't contain myself. Alice was curled on her bed, reading.

"Alice!" I exclaimed, lunging for her bed. Her eyes flashed in horror, as Edward yelled.

"No Bella, don't!" But it was too late. I felt my forehead collide with something hard, not the soft mattress I was expecting. I let out a gasp of pain, and the scent of rust and salt overwhelmed me.

Everything went black.

**Author's Note: Over 6,000 words, my friends. That's alot longer than I expected.**

**Questions and/or comments? You know how to review ;)**


	11. Ten: Request

**Disclaimer: Hello again, friends! You should know by now that I don't own Twilight characters in any way, shape or form. So get reading!**

**Chapter 10: Request**

"_Shush, Edward, I'm trying to concentrate." The soprano voice was sharper than I had heard it before._

"_I will not, shush, Alice," A velvety voice said venomously. I felt something on my hand squeeze tighter._

"_Edward, if you want me to see how this will turn out, then I expect you to comply," The girl's voice shot back. The male growled, but didn't speak._

"_She'll wake up soon. A few hours at the earliest," The girl promised. The male squeezed my hand. I vaguely felt his breath on my cheek as he kissed it tenderly. "Edward, are you going to tell her when she wakes up? She's going to want to know," The girl told him. He sighed._

"_I don't know. I don't want to, how will she react? She's the only person I can't... you know..." I felt his hand shudder lightly in mine. "Can you see how it would turn out?" A moment's pause._

"_It's unclear, because you're unclear of the decision. Do you remember when I first started seeing things, the beginning of this year?" Another pause. "Everything is getting clearer, and they're getting longer. Not much longer, but definitely clearer. You should tell her," The girl urged. The male sighed._

"_I'll think about it," He promised, before lapsing into silence. The whole exchange confused me. I didn't dwell on it, preferring to relax back into unconsciousness._

"Her brain activity is picking up. I believe she will be waking up very soon." I didn't know how much later it was after the exchange. My fingertips twitched, and I realized that someone was holding my hand.

"Bella? Bella, can you hear me? Try and squeeze my hand if you can hear me." I used all the strength I had to grip his fingertips more firmly. He exhaled in relief. "Carlisle, I think she's awake." My eyelids slowly fluttered open, and I squinted around, trying to get used to the bright lights. Edward's perfect face was the first thing I saw, bringing a weak smile to my face.

"Hi," I mouthed, my throat too try to form actual words. His smile was dazzling. My eyes darted around the sterile white environment. I should have been used to being in the hospital by now, what with my many injuries. But I still disliked the place. My eyes rested on another familiar face, a female's. "Alice..." My lips formed the words, but no sound came out.

"Alice," Edward repeated. My gaze continued around the room, searching for other familiarities.

"Carlisle...?" What was he doing here? Why had they brought me over to little Forks hospital, when there was one not even ten minutes away in Seattle. Dr. Cullen rushed to my side, feeling my pulse, checking my joint movement.

"Bella, can you hold up your fingers?" I weakly obliged. He beamed at me. "Excellent. Now show me, on a scale from one to ten, how badly does your forehead hurt?" Was I supposed to be in pain? I felt perfectly– _oh!_

It felt like somebody was branding me on my forehead. No, it was much worse. It felt like my skull was being cut open by a knife infected with deadly bacteria. No, it was much worse. Words couldn't describe the excruciating pain. Ten fingers shot up, as I grimaced, holding in the agonized scream of pain. Carlisle shook his head sadly.

"Hmm... I think more morphine will do the trick," He murmured to himself. "Bella, would you mind if you were out for another couple of hours?" I shook my head, wanting the pain to disappear. I looked back at Edward, and smiled self consciously. He was staring at me like... I didn't really know how to explain it to myself. Perhaps the perfect mix of hope and concern, laced with other emotions that I couldn't quite place. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carlisle fixing my IV drip– ugh, needles.

"We'll talk later," I mouthed to Edward. He grimaced, and I smirked, feeling my eyes droop and the pain immediately started to dull.

The first thing I noticed was a delicious aroma. My interest piqued, my eyes opened, revealing to me my favorite vision. Flashes of those emerald eyes, perfectly shaped nose, and that scent that radiated off of him...

"Edward." I smiled weakly at him. My voice was scratchy, but the words actually came out. His returning smile was blinding.

"Bella, you're awake," He breathed, squeezing my hand. I closed my eyes blissfully, drinking in his heady fragrance. I then remembered that we had a few things to talk about. I gazed around the room, and the only other person was Carlisle.

"May I have some time alone with Edward, please?" I asked him faintly. He hesitated, glancing at his clipboard. He sighed.

"Of course, but Edward, I'm going to have to ask you to fill her in on... everything." With a short nod, Carlisle turned and left the room. My eyes flickered back to Edward, who smirked.

"You hit your head on the edge of Alice's bed, and cracked your skull. There's no brain damage, at least, no more than there wasn't already. Did you get dropped on your head while you were a baby?" He teased. I snarled.

"I like you better when you're worried. And, I'm clumsy, remember? You know, falling a lot? Come to think of it, I didn't trip as often as I do here... wonder why that is," I mused, my voice gaining some strength. "Anyways, I heard you and Alice talking." Edward froze, his green eyes slightly nervous. "She said something like... 'Are you going to tell her?' And then you said 'I don't know,' and then you wanted to know how I would react. And, by the way, I'll never think of you as a freak. No matter what," I concluded softly. He smiled slightly, before sighing resignedly.

"Bella," He began softly, leaning towards me. "Bella," He repeated my name as if he were speaking of a religious character. The tip of his nose rested on the corner of my jaw. My breathing hitched as he pressed his lips to the hollow under my ear. The beeping of the heart monitor fluttered wildly, matching the speed of my heartbeat.

"Edward... tell... me..." It was hard to form a coherent sentence with him like this. He pulled away, his eyes on mine. I folded my hands on my stomach, smiling cheekily, waiting for him to begin.

"How... how to tell you... I suppose... just let it all out?" He murmured to himself his brow furrowing. "Bella... I can read minds." He waited for my reaction, and it wasn't the one he expected.

"And?" Confusion was etched in every part of his gorgeous features.

"That's it. I was expecting you to scream and tell me to get the hell away from you," He responded quietly, chuckling. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Edward. I knew you were special. So what's a little mind reading? Now tell me, what am I thinking right now?" _I love you Edward, with every fiber of my being._

"I don't know," He admitted, looking towards the heart monitor. "Your mind is the only one I can't hear. I don't really know why... but everyone else, I hear them shouting at me, and sometimes I hear murmurs. And then, when I try to hear you, it's silent. There was only one time that I think I heard you... remember last Sunday when you randomly got angry? And then I asked you what you were thinking, because I saw... flashes... of things, memories I had, but what I saw, I was looking at myself from your point of view. And then you pulled yourself together, and the images were gone." I listened in silence, not daring to interrupt. I always knew that Edward was special, and this was... it was just a little more than I had imagined. But strange as it was, it didn't change my feelings for him.

In a bad way, at least. Impossibly, my infatuation had grown, and this tidbit of information caused an explosion. At least he couldn't read my mind– that would be thoroughly embarrassing. I didn't want him to know about the fantasies flashing through my mind's eye. He was watching me again, waiting for my response.

"That's..." I paused, searching for the right word. "Interesting," I concluded. He was still watching. "Edward, you can stop worrying. I'm not going to run away from you," I teased, smirking. He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure of that. Edward, I..." I looked away. I was pretty sure that he didn't feel the same way. He dipped his index finger under my chin, bringing my face to his. He placed his soft lips on mine. The heart monitor went wild, fluttering like a hummingbird's wings. Edward chuckled, pulling his lips away.

"Now, tell me. Since I can't hear your thoughts," He murmured, lightly pressing his forehead against mine. A swell of love and lust crashed through me. I resisted wrapping myself around him. "What were you going to say?" I sighed, my eyes flicking away from his. Now was not the time to tell him how I felt. A sudden rush of thankfulness rushed through me– he couldn't hear my thoughts

"Another time," I said quietly, a smirk crossing my face. I didn't let my eyes return to his as he let out a frustrated groan.

"That's _really_ frustrating, you know," he complained.

"No," I disagreed quickly, moving to cross my arms across my chest. "It's not that frustrating at all. Just because someone won't tell you what they're thinking... imagine how it is for the rest of us." My tone was venomous, and Edward cringed. My anger disappeared as quickly as it had come. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean... it's the drugs, I swear it!" I held up my hand, which had an IV needle sticking out the back of it, to show him. He chuckled, taking my hand and lightly pressing his lips to my fingertips.

We sat for a few moments in silence before he spoke again. "You're very interesting when you sleep, even drug induced." He smirked. "You talk."

"No!" I moaned, shielding my brilliantly red face in my hands. Of course, I knew that I talked in my sleep. Whenever I had sleep overs, my friends would always interrogate me about who I was talking about in my sleep. Normally I would brush away the comments, announcing that they were dreaming. But then when I screamed that night in Alice's room, during the nightmare... well, that just confirmed the worst.

"Are you upset?" His tone was slightly worried, slightly bemused.

"That depends."

"On?" He pressed, gently lifting my hands off my face to better look at me.

"How much you heard!" I howled, my face heating up even more. He placed his lips softly on the tip of my nose, the corners of my lips.

"You worry too much, even in your sleep. You hoped that Charlie was getting on fine... You hoped that Skye was okay back home... You wondered what Jacob would say when you told him that he was wrong..." His lips moved against mine, before he pulled away slightly. "Which brings me to a question– who is this Jacob?" His grin was teasing, but I could see the curiosity deep in his eyes.

"A friend."

He waited.

"And?" He urged, tracing the line of the IV on my hand.

"And... he's taking me to the Sweetheart's Ball," I admitted quietly. "Just as friends," I added hastily, noticing Edward's beautiful green eyes harden. "I was probably telling him he was wrong, because I love him–" Edward cut me off, snarling. "Let me finish. I love him as a _brother_. No romance intended," I promised firmly. He growled softly, his fingers rigid on the IV. "Besides, my heart belongs to someone else." Oops.

His eyes liquified again, darkening in color. He looked down for a moment, before peeking at me through his thick, long, dark lashes. The effect was dazzling.

"And who might that lucky–" A nurse bustled in and attempted to usher Edward out. He turned his dazzling gaze on her.

"Please, give me a few more minutes with my girlfriend," He pleaded in a low, alluring voice. The a sheen of sweat broke across the woman's face, as she hurried back out of the room, murmuring things like _too young..._

"You know, you really shouldn't do that to people," I scolded him. He returned his eyes to mine, and they were still dazzling.

"Do what?" He asked innocently.

"Dazzle people. It's really not fair." I sighed. He tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"I dazzle people?" He inquired, the confused look still on my face.

"Not everyone gets what they want so easily," I mumbled, turning my head away. Again, he placed his finger under my chin, forcing my gaze to return to his.

"Do I dazzle _you?_" I stared at him. What a stupid question.

"Obviously," I mumbled, flicking my eyes towards the door. He seemed sort of smug as he sat back in his chair, watching Carlisle enter the room.

"Good morning, Bella. Or should I say good evening," He corrected himself, eyeing the darkening sky outside the window. "How are you feeling?"

"Healthy as a horse. Can I go back to school tomorrow?" I asked him quickly. He shook his head, chuckling.

"Tomorrow's Saturday, Bella. You've been out since last Sunday. It's January 26, Bella." I shot bolt upright.

"The 26?" I squeaked. Carlisle nodded. That meant that the ball was in two and a half weeks. And there was an indulgence I needed to ask of Edward. I continued to fret over this as Carlisle checked my vital signs. "Where am I?"

"Northwest Hospital," Carlisle responded immediately.

"But Carlisle, why are you here?" I asked, confused.

"Edward requested that I come and take care of you. Nothing less than the best for the love--" Edward cut Carlisle off with a meaningful look. But I could finish the sentence. _Nothing less than the best for the love of his life._ Huh. So Edward did love me. I guessed we would have to talk about that soon enough. But in a more romantic atmosphere. I watched Edward's usually pale cheeks darken slightly, as Carlisle chuckled softly again.

"Edward, you should tell her," He advised.

"I will. Not here, or now," Edward mumbled in retaliation.

"Soon though?"

"Yes, very soon."

"Before the ball?"

"Perhaps at it," He mused, his brows furrowing. Well, that was rather annoying.

"Girl still here," I reminded them, pointing at myself. Edward threw back his head, laughing louder than I had ever heard before. Carlisle's chuckles quickened, and also increased in volume. I pouted. "Well, unless you want to tell me what that conversation was all about, I suggest you spring me so I can go back." Edward rolled his eyes, his lips pressed into a tight line, trying to hold in his laughter.

"You'll be free to go in about an hour. We just need to make sure you're stable. Anyways, you have a few visitors." There was a knock on the door before it opened. Two people entered the room. The first was Charlie– I was expecting that. His curly brown hair bounced as he moved quickly to my side, his chocolate eyes gazing intently at me. The other was a woman, with light brown hair cut into a chic bob, and brown eyes. My mother, Renee, had flown from Phoenix, just to see me in the hospital.

I was touched, to say the least. She was by my side in a second.

"Mom... Dad..." I croaked, tears springing to my eyes as I enveloped each of them in a hug.

"Bella, I'm so glad you're okay!" Renee exclaimed, squeezing me. I giggled weakly, as she was squeezing the breath out of me.

"Bella, are you sure you want to go back to school? After the accident, I'm not sure if I want you in that hazardous environment," Charlie started awkwardly. He wasn't one for mushy feelings. I shook my head a bit.

"Dad, I'll be okay. I made a stupid decision– I tried to jump onto my friends bed. By the way, why aren't they here? For all they know, I could have died." I frowned, searching the room as if they would pop up and shout _Surprise!_ But no one appeared.

"Actually, they weren't allowed," Carlisle quipped. "Family members only," I threw a sidelong glance at Edward, who was smiling innocently. "Edward shouldn't really be here... but he convinced me to let you stay with a promise he is sure to keep. You'll find out soon enough." He beamed at the two of us. "To quote him exactly, he said '_I won't leave until Bella does, so you'll just have to put up with me sleeping on a chair or something.'_" My eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no Edward, you didn't! Please tell me you went to school!" I moaned.

"Nope. I told Carlisle I wouldn't leave you, and I didn't," He stated, not repentant in the least. "Besides, I didn't mind sleeping on the chair." I groaned.

"Edward, you didn't have to do that for me," I whined.

"Bella, I wanted to," He answered, his tone very serious. My mouth was open in surprise, but he continued. "Anyways, I told you, you're interesting to watch sleep. You even said my name." His eyes were twinkling, when I heard a tiny cough. Crap. I had forgotten about my parents still being in the room. I blushed, and noticed that Edward also looked slightly embarrassed.

"Edward, would you mind giving myself and Charlie some alone time with our daughter?" Edward opened his mouth, to protest, I hoped. I didn't particularly want to spend any time away from Edward. But Carlisle smoothly cut in.

"Yes, of course. I need to speak with Edward anyways." A meaningful look and grumbles from Edward. Then I was alone with Renee and Charlie.

"So... how's Phil?" I asked, awkwardly interlacing my fingers. Renee sighed.

"He's alright. He didn't come up– wanted to keep an eye on the house. Speaking of the man in my life, who was that boy? Edward, the doctor said his name was..." It was Charlie who answered.

"That was Edward Cullen," He spat, watching me. Crap. I'd forgotten the first impression he'd gotten of Edward. "I'm pretty surprised that Carlisle let him in here. How's Tanya? Lips heal yet?" He continued, his voice still venomous. Renee and I stared at him in shock.

"Dad, they broke up a week ago," I began, my shock melting into hesitancy. "Edward is actually really nice. He's not gross like I thought... not at all..." I trailed off, reminiscing about how utterly perfect his full lips felt against mine. "He's perfect." I sighed.

"Bella, I think you're in love with him!" Renee squealed, sounding like Alice. I sighed again. I couldn't deny it– I _was_ in love with him. Charlie stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to deny Renee's crazy accusations. But that was something I couldn't... wouldn't do.

"I'm pretty crazy about Edward..." I began quietly. "But I don't know so much about him,"

"With the way he looks at you? Bella, he didn't leave your side except for bathroom breaks! This is so adorable! My baby, falling in love!" She sighed dramatically, leaning against my bed. Charlie was staring at me in shock and horror. His face was deepening in color, and he looked as if he wanted to punch someone, and soon. I would have to warn Edward.

"So, Bella... is he good?" Oh dear God, my _mother_ did not just ask me that. She did not just ask me if Edward was 'good.' It was just a crazy dream... just a crazy dream.

So why was Renee looking at me expectantly, and Charlie's fists were clenched?

"Mom," I squeaked, chagrined heat spreading throughout my body. "Edward and I aren't – " Which made me rip the sheets off my body to check something. "My period?!" An exclamation and a question in one. If it had been bad before, I didn't want Dr. Cullen... Edward's _father_ to have to deal with a maturing woman. That would be mortifying.

"Oh, I heard about that. Everything was taken care of," Renee answered, laughing a little. I glared at her, tugging the sheets back over my body, blushing still.

"At least I'm getting it... always a good sign," I murmured to myself. Charlie's face drained of color. Renee looked shocked.

"Bella, I thought you said you weren't physically involved with this boy!"

"Mom, stop! This is so embarrassing!" I wailed, tugging the sheets over my face. "We haven't done anything, I'm just saying that I'm glad I don't have some illness that messes up my ability to reproduce... not that I plan on doing that in the near future," I groaned, breathing into the hospital blanket. I heard the heart monitor playing out a quick, uneven tune, and footsteps resounded in the sterile room. I felt a cool hand place itself on mine, lightly drawing the covers away from my face.

"You shouldn't hide your beautiful face," Edward's soft voice reasoned, a smirk playing on his lips. I noticed his cheeks were slightly flushed– I wondered why.

"Edward..." A smile crossed my face as I said his name. I gazed at him hungrily. I felt like I had just won the lottery, and he was my prize. My millions of dollars of cash. But, truth be told, he was much better than any amount of money– he was more to me than anything in the world.

He was my everything. My vision was filled with his flawless face, his green eyes searching mine his tousled bronze hair bristling slightly in the light air conditioning.

"You say it like _I'm_ the prize, and _you're_ the lucky winner, when actually, it's the other way around." With that, he pressed his lips softly to mine. I couldn't imagine what was wrong with his brain– I probably looked hideous, and smelled pretty awful as well. But here he was, kissing me with growing passion and urgency. I wrapped my arms around him, the smile still plastered on my face.

A girlish giggle and an indignant huff broke us apart. I blushed, remembering that Renee and Charlie were looking on during our mini reunion. My gaze flickered from Edward, to my parents, and back again.

"Don't let us interrupt you crazy kids." Renee giggled again. Charlie snorted, as if he wanted to do quite the contrary. Renee smacked him, snatching his arm, and leading him out of the room. She began arguing with him as they left, her tone quick and quiet. I caught snippets of it, like "almost legal" and "obviously in love." I blushed at that last one, and Edward's fingers traced my cheek bone. I hadn't taken into account that Carlisle was in the room until he was removing the needle from my hand. I winced. Edward picked up a small pile of folded material off of the arm of the chair he had been glued to for nearly a week. He handed me my folded clothes, helped me stand, and led me to the bathroom to change.

I dressed, and attempted to comb my fingers through my hair. I noticed a toothbrush on the sink, and I grabbed it, knowing it was Edward's, and assuming he wouldn't mind.

"Okay, I'm decent," I announced when I exited the bathroom. He caught hold of my wrist, and kissed it lightly, before his fingers laced through mine. He leaned forward, his lips at my ear.

"Wrong. You are utterly indecent..." His lips trailed across my cheekbone, rendering me speechless. I blushed a brilliant red. "No one should look as tempting as you." He pressed his mouth to mine, kissing me in earnest.

The moment was ruined when a sharp pain seared across my forehead.

"Ow," I mumbled, reluctantly drawing away from Edward to lightly rub my forehead. My fingers brushed against a layer of bandages. How hadn't I noticed this in the mirror? He shook his head, frowning.

"This is my fault," He murmured, lightly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as we started walking. I looked at him indignantly.

"No it's not! I do recall you giving me warning _not_ to lunge for Alice's bed... what, did you look into her mind and see the vision?" My tone was meant to be teasing, but he looked at me seriously.

"That is exactly what happened."

"Oh," I murmured, blushing and feeling immensely guilty. "I'm sorry for teasing you. But it's not your fault," I continued quietly. We stopped outside the silver Volvo. I turned to him, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Edward? Will you do something for me please?"

"That depends." I waited.

"On?" I urged, watching him open the passenger door for me.

"What the request is," He responded, smiling. I entered the car, and he closed the door, walking slowly to the other side. I knew he was putting off the moment where I would ask him this favor. When he sat down, I turned my body to face him.

"Will you give me dance lessons?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Hehe, I'll be adding a mini chapter probably tomorrow. You'll see what it's about then!**

**I don't want the dates to be confused, so here's a little timeline. Note that the dates don't neccessarily match up with the year, but oh well.**

**Wed January 17: Bella arrives at Riverside and moves in  
Thurs January 18: Bella's first day of school-- Going to the nurse, lunchtime chat  
Fri January 19: Bella's second day of school-- "prep" outfit, the almost kisses and the party  
Sat January 20: Bella accepts Edward's apology, first kiss  
Sun January 21: Bella accepts Jake's invite to the ball, Skye moves in, Bella and Edward recite _Romeo and Juliet_, Bella and Edward go out for dinner, "The Pastasauce Accident", Edward stays with Bella for the night and listens to her sleep talk  
Mon January 22: Bella's third day of school-- Bella cracks skull open on Alice's bedframe, Edward takes her to the hospital.  
Tues Jan 23-Fri Jan 26: Bella is unconsious. Jan 26 she wakes up in the hospital.**

**Keep reading and reviewing!**


	12. Interlude I: Discourse

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. You silly children should know that by now.**

**This chapter is a half chapter. It's a small section of _Request_ in Edward's point of view. READ ON!**

**Chapter 10.5: Discourse**

_Edward Cullen_

"Edward, you should tell her," Carlisle advised me. I nearly rolled my eyes.

"I will. Not here, or now," I mumbled, wanting to pass the subject. Especially with Bella sitting right there. This was not the time or place to tell her how absolutely infatuated with her I was.

"Soon though?" Of course I would tell her soon. I was bursting to tell her, but I wanted the atmosphere to be more romantic.

"Yes, very soon."

"Before the ball?" I didn't remember telling Carlisle about the Sweetheart's Ball– perhaps that was because I was only looking forward to the last ten minutes, where Bella would be mine. Her promise was something that I could easily keep. I would dance with her all night, but we both had dates. I couldn't suppress the urge I had to hunt this Jacob character, and immobilize him. Then Bella would be mine all night... Lauren had other friends she could dance with.

"Perhaps at it," I replied thoughtfully. The ball would be a sufficiently romantic atmosphere. I could tell her while we danced to the last song, which was guaranteed to be romantic. Bella spoke again, and her beautiful voice took me by surprise. Of course, I didn't forget she was there– how could I, with her intoxicating aroma?

"Girl still here." And she pointed to herself. I found it very amusing, and didn't crush the laughter the bubbled up in my throat. I threw my head back, and it exploded loudly. I immediately felt a little self conscious– was my laughter too loud? It was certainly louder than I had ever laughed. But Bella had been so... funny. It was one of the many things I loved about her.

Loved.

"Well, unless you want to tell me what that conversation was all about, I suggest you spring me so I can go back." She pouted adorably. I rolled my eyes, trying to be nonchalant, and pressed my lips into a tight line. I didn't want to irritate her. I started to hear a faint buzzing of thoughts. They were loud, but muddled. I heard only pieces. _Healing... hurt?... injury..._ It was Bella's mother, worrying about her. I searched my mind, trying to remember her name. Renee. Bella worried about her during her sleep. _Edward... break him... hurt my girl..._ Charlie, Bella's father... he really did not like me. I silently vowed to fix that.

"You'll be free to go in about an hour. We just need to make sure you're stable. Anyways, you have a few visitors." Carlisle's voice was distant, and I heard a soft tapping on the door. Charlie and Renee walked into the room together.

"Mom... Dad..." Bella's voice was weak. I wanted to tell her not to talk, to save her energy, to stroke her face and help her heal. I felt that this was all my fault. But I let her parents rush to her.

"Bella, I'm so glad you're okay!" Renee was very pleased that Bella was better. Charlie shot a furtive look at me, one that Bella didn't notice. I attempted a smile, but he turned away.

"Bella, are you sure you want to go back to school? After the accident, I'm not sure if I want you in that hazardous environment." Charlie looked awkward as he spoke. I knew there was more reason to why he didn't want her going back. I remembered his first impression of me– when I was with Tanya. I unconsciously wiped my mouth on the back of my hand, wanting to erase every memory I had with her. She was nothing compared to Bella. Nothing could compare to Bella.

"Dad, I'll be okay. I made a stupid decision– I tried to jump onto my friends bed. By the way, why aren't they here? For all they know, I could have died." Bella looked around, as if expecting Alice, Rose, Emmett and Jasper to pop up. I held in a chuckle.

"Actually, they weren't allowed," Carlisle said quickly. "Family members only." _Considering yourself family yet, son?_ I had told Carlisle about my little... gift... the day that I had brought Bella to the hospital. Bella glanced at me, and I smiled innocently at her. Carlisle was saying something else.

"_Dad? I have something I need to tell you," I started, looking nervously at my feet. Usually, I wasn't one for nerves, but I didn't want my own father to disown me for being different. I recalled perfectly his reaction to Alice's visions– shock, then acceptance. I could only hope that it would be the same for me. Carlisle looked up from his clipboard. "I can hear thoughts," I said very quietly. He sighed._

"_I should have known. You and Alice, you two are something else," He replied, shaking his head slowly. His gaze flickered to Bella, who was lying peacefully on the bed, motionless. "Does she know?" _

"_Not yet."_

"_Will she know?"_

"_Maybe. I don't want to lose her," I answered, my voice muted. Carlisle nodded._

"_She'll take it in stride," He assured me, before leaving._

"_Edward..." I turned quickly towards Bella. She was awake? No, her eyes were still closed. Ah, sleep talking again. What would she say today? "Edward..." She moaned, a smile creeping across her face._

"Oh no Edward, you didn't! Please tell me you went to school!" Bella was groaning about something. I hated to see her upset, but I wondered what it was about. Carlisle had a small, but smug, smile on his face. He had told her that I refused to leave her side.

"Nope. I told Carlisle I wouldn't leave you, and I didn't." I didn't regret staying one bit. What was a little extra work, compared to making sure that Bella was alright? "Besides, I didn't mind sleeping in the chair." Bella moaned, upset. She was worrying about my welfare? When she had a cracked skull? Honestly, this girl needed to sort out her priorities.

"Edward, you didn't have to do that for me." Her voice was whiny.

"Bella, I wanted to," I replied truthfully. I would do anything for her.

"Anyways, I told you, you're interesting to watch sleep. You even said my name." My eyes twinkled mischievously. Her eyes began to widen in horror, when Renee coughed behind us. Bella's cheeks were tinted with a beautiful shade of red again.

"Edward, would you mind giving myself and Charlie some alone time with our daughter?" Well, that was forward. I opened my mouth to protest. I would never leave Bella's side willingly, unless it was she that ordered me away.

"Yes, of course. I need to speak with Edward anyways." Carlisle looked meaningfully at me. _We need to talk._ I grumbled about trite things, reluctantly following Carlisle out of the room. When we had walked halfway down the hall, I whirled around.

"I told you I didn't want to leave her," I snarled, fury boiling in my veins. Carlisle puckered a brow.

"Edward, I want to talk to you about that girl. The way you look at her, the way you protect her. It's very endearing. But have you ever thought what would happen to her when you get over her, just like every other girl?" I growled, my fists clenching. I had to let go of my anger somehow, but the hospital, with it's delicate instruments and vital papers, was not the place to do it.

"I will never hurt Bella," I vowed, venom dripping in my voice.

"How can you be so sure?" Carlisle asked, his voice calm. I threw up my hands.

"I've never been in love before this! Yes, I'm in love with her! And you know how she talks in her sleep? Want to know what she said Sunday night?" My fury softened as I recalled those four beautiful words. Carlisle waited for me to continue. "_Edward, I love you_." He smiled brightly.

"If you hurt her in any way... if you leave her... I'll be having a word with you," He promised.

"The only way I'd leave her is if she wanted me to." I turned on my heel, storming back towards Bella's room, my cheeks flushed slightly. I paused outside Bella's door, as I heard her mother's voice.

"Bella, I thought you weren't physically involved with this boy!" If that wasn't embarassing, then I didn't know what was. Renee was talking to Bella about sex... and myself.

"Mom, stop! This is so embarrassing!" Bella cried, and I heard the rustling of sheets, and assumed that she was pulling them over her face. I wouldn't have that. I composed my features as she started to speak again. "We haven't done anything, I'm just saying that I'm glad I don't have some illness that messes up my ability to reproduce... not that I plan on doing that in the near future." This conversation was turning out to be very interesting. Carlisle followed me into the room, holding in a chuckle.

Sure enough, Bella's face was covered with the sheet. I lightly placed my hands on top of hers, pulling the covers away from her lovely features.

"You shouldn't hide your beautiful face."

**Author's Note: Yay for mini chapters!**

**You know you want to keep reviewing!**


	13. Eleven: Lessons

**Disclaimer: I don't own all things Twilighty. I just write about them and then dream about them. Yeah. Also, sorry about the late update. NOW YOU HAVE...**

Chapter 11: Lessons

Edward stared at me for a good two minutes, the car still at a standstill (luckily). Was my request so strange to him? I didn't think so—did I have something stuck in my teeth? I quickly ran my tongue over them, without feeling any obstructions. Once or twice, my tongue peeked through my lips, and I noticed Edward's gaze on it.

Then he finally responded. It wasn't what I was expecting, though. He burst out laughing. I frowned at him, and he immediately shut his mouth. His full lips were pressed in a tight line, apparently holding in his amusement at my expense. He quickly took one of my hands in both of his, his thumb rubbing soft, soothing circles into it.

"Bella…" He brought my hand to his lips. I shivered involuntarily as his mouth gently pressed to my knuckles. "Bella…" He said again. I quirked a brow, waiting for his response. I tried to hide the fact that I was about to explode with the way he brushed his lips against my hand oh so softly. "Bella," He repeated for a third time. It was starting to irritate me slightly, until I remembered from who's lips my name was issuing. Yes, I knew that Bella was my name, and I probably would have decked the person who was repeating it so lovingly… had it not been Edward. I seriously was head over heels with this guy.

"What makes you think I can dance?" Oh, wow. What _did_ make me think he could dance? Or did I honestly not care whether or not he could dance, I just wanted a plausible excuse to spend more time with him. I decided on the latter, although his unconscious grace did reveal that he probably had some dancing experience.

"You're graceful even when you stand still," I pointed out. "And… and…" I trailed off, wondering if I should tell him the real reason. He was gazing at me expectantly. "And, well… er… I get to spend more time with you," I said very quickly, before my cheeks burned with chagrin. It took me a moment to compose myself—Edward hadn't moved. He was staring at me with his perfect mouth in a small 'o,' still inches away from my hand. I blushed even deeper, my confident remark that I had been building in my mind slipping. "I take it you don't want to spend time with me?" The teasing manner I had been attempting to achieve… failed. Miserably. My voice was high pitched and squeaky, my nerves clear as crystal. Edward was rejecting me. Everything took a turn for the worse. I had just admitted to myself that I loved him, and now, he was rejecting me? I was so thick. Carlisle was probably just joking around when he started to say "The love of his life." Deep down, I knew that I would never stop loving him, even if he didn't feel the same way. Edward didn't want to lead me on, and giving me dance lessons fell into that category. Such the gentleman. Only now, I realized that I wanted to be with him every waking moment of my life, even if he didn't really want it. It was selfish, but I couldn't push away the want…

The need…

Finally, Edward's face cracked into a brilliant grin, and he tugged on my hand, pulling me across the armrest into his embrace. I took a sharp inhale as he squeezed me. His lips brushed against my ear.

"Well, when you put it that way…" He tilted my chin up, and his lips crashed eagerly to mine. Was this a joke? Rejection was not to be taken lightly!

"Edward, just answer me," I groaned against his perfect lips. He chuckled, his brilliant green eyes flecked with topaz. "Yes, you will give me dance lessons, or are you crazy girl?"

"Well, I'd have to say you are crazy…" I smacked him on the arm, rather harder than I should have. "Of course I'll give you dance lessons, love." Love? Love. He called me love. It took all of my efforts not to swoon on the spot.

"Let's get moving, shall we?" I chirped, giving his hand a tight squeeze. Edward chuckled again, finally pulling out of the parking lot. "Makes me wonder how long we were there, idling. I'm pretty sure it was five minutes, at least." It was pleasant to be so chipper. I knew that I wouldn't make a complete fool out of myself at the ball, and that would be excellent. No more reason for Tanya and her crew to make fun of me. Recently, they had lain off, but I knew they were planning something completely embarrassing. I sighed, my bright mood slipping slightly. Edward brushed his lips against my fingers, calming me instantly. We rode in silence for ten minutes. He was shooting glances at me, looking torn up about something. I was watching him carefully—sometimes, he would open his mouth to speak, then shut it again, thinking better of it. I reached out, tracing my fingers along the lines of his perfect lips. They parted, and I felt his cool breath on my tingling fingers.

"You can tell me anything," I whispered, my eyes glued to his mouth. He sighed, his eyes peeking at me.

"I'm not sure if I can tell you this…" He replied, his tone quiet as well.

"I won't run away screaming. You know, your mind reading isn't that frightening. And once I got to know you, you weren't as creepy as you first came off as… I mean honestly? Touching my back with your girlfriend in the room. Come on," I scoffed, trying to lighten the mood. Part of me pined for what he was trying to tell me, but another part told me I didn't want to hear it. "I know you want me," I teased, bringing myself out of my thoughts.

"More than you'll ever know," Edward agreed quietly. I snapped my mouth closed, blushing furiously. Obviously, my mother was less far off than I had thought earlier. I wanted Edward, and I wanted him badly. I wanted to wake up to him in the morning, have his sweet scent wash over me as he told me he loved me. I wanted him to comfort me when I needed a shoulder to lean on. But it was so much more. I _needed_ him.

"Tell me… please… tell me what you were going to say. I can handle it," I urged, running my fingers lightly across his sharp cheekbone. He sighed, pulling into a space. I hadn't realized that we were already back at the school. He leapt quickly out of the car, rushing around to my side to open the door for me. I thanked him, and held tightly to his hand as I started back towards our building. He tugged on my hand, shaking his head no. He had a different destination in mind.

My hand caressed the petals of the roses as we passed, finally stopping underneath our apple tree. He turned to face me, his eyes curious.

"Bella, I hope you already know what I'm about to tell you," he started, looking me firmly in the eye. "Carlisle already told you, and I know you picked up on it. You're not dumb." He gave me that glorious half smile of his. "Bella…" He took a deep breath, and then his lips crashed to mine again, trying to portray all his emotions through the kiss. My fingers wound through his bronze hair, as his trailed down my back, tightening around my waist. I pressed myself closer to him, and every inch of my body screamed in pleasure. I was already lightheaded. He pulled away slowly, keeping his eyes closed, a complacent smile on his lips.

"A girl like you is impossible to find," He whispered. My eyes felt slightly moist. "I love you, with all of my heart, Bella."

The three simple words didn't penetrate my mind at first. I didn't know that he was actually speaking his mind.

"I thought you said you couldn't read my mind," I furrowed my brows, confused. His eyes opened, and he laughed, kissing me on the forehead. I tightened my grip around him, standing on my tip toes, resting my forehead against his as I stared into his endless green eyes. How had I ever thought of him as a disgusting pig? He was beautiful, in every way possible.

"I love you, too," I answered, my voice scratchy as I pressed my lips to his once again.

.:.

I stared out the dark window, wondering how on Earth I had gotten so lucky. I was lying in bed, with the arms of the most beautiful boy in the world around me. He never pushed me to things I didn't want to do, and the only thing he wanted was my happiness, which obviously involved him. My gaze flicked to him, and I sighed happily. His tousled hair was even more so, and his viridescent eyes were hidden by pale eyelids.

I traced my fingers lightly over his chest, waging an inner war. To take off shirt, or to not take off shirt? I was running my fingers lightly across the hem of his shirt, when his smile broadened, and I noticed the reflection of the moon off of his eyes. I blushed furiously, clasping my hands behind my back.  
"Hi," I whispered, looking back out the window. We were both lying on our backs, our heads turned towards the window. But Edward's eyes were on me.  
"Nice wake up call," He whispered, chuckling. The red hue so familiar to my cheeks darkened further. I flicked my gaze to Skye's empty bed-- she still hadn't come back. I felt Edward's fingers drag softly up the side of my arm, sending shivers through my body. He hooked a wintry finger under my chin, turning my head to face him. There was a smug smile on his lips, and I was pretty sure I knew what that meant.

"Edward…"I started hesitantly. I was timid because I was unsure—I wanted the same thing, but it wasn't the right time.

"Bella." His voice was so seductive, and I felt my mouth watering. "You know I want you… I don't know how much self control I have…" He trailed off, running his hand down my opposite shoulder. He was on his side now, propping his head on his hand. I turned to face him, sighing.

"Yes Edward, I do know. But please, behave… for me?" My eyes widened slightly, begging for him to listen. He growled softly, tracing his fingers along my stomach. I jerked upright, squealing. "Ahh, Edward, don't touch me there!" I exclaimed, crossing my arms over my stomach. I should have told him that I was ticklish…

"You mean… here?" He quickly pried my arms off of my stomach, poking me. I nodded, scrambling out of the bed and to the door. I rounded the corner, and peeked out. The door to my room was still ajar, and Edward was nowhere in sight. I breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall, and closing my eyes. My knees bent, and I started to slide down to the floor.

"You think you can get away from the track captain so easy, huh?" A velvety voice taunted in my ear. I screeched loudly, before a hand clamped over my mouth. "For the love of all that is Holy, Bella! Do you _want_ me to get kicked out?" I shook my head violently, and rose onto tiptoe, prying his hand off of me. "What's this?" He leaned closer to me. "You want something else to cover your mouth?" I nodded slowly, grinning mischievously. He bent his head forward, before brushing his lips to my ear. "Nice try. Get to bed; I'll see you in the morning, love." I wanted to scream. He was leaving?! Not on my watch.

"Dohgo!" I cried into his palm. He chuckled, removing his hand.

"What was that?"

"Don't go," I pleaded, my eyes widening again. He stared at me for a second, before shaking his head in defeat.

"It's that look again," He murmured, but his face brightened as he closed the door to my room behind us. He pulled me closer, every part of my body touching every part of his. He trailed the backs of his fingers along my cheekbone, the other hand softly taking one of mine, and placing it over his heart. It beat a rapid tune, thrumming like a young hummingbird. I smiled, staring at my hand on his chest. He rested his forehead against mine, and my gaze flickered to his. His eyes were dark with… lust?

"It only does that around you," he told me, before his lips collided with mine. I whipped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. I felt his hand travel around the curve of my bum, before he hoisted my legs onto him. I locked my ankles together, kissing him more fiercely. He rested me on my bed, and broke the passionate kiss, unhooking my arms and legs from around him.

"I should have known you only wanted your wicked ways with me…" I murmured, looking out the window again. Edward chuckled as I heaved a great sigh. I curled up on my side to face him, snuggling closer to his perfect body. He wrapped his strong arms around me, and I was home.

"I love you," I reminded him, my eyes closing slowly.

"I love you more than anything," He replied softly. Then the darkness closed over me.

.:.

"Bella, it is time to wake up." The velvety music of his voice washed over me, and I smiled contently. I was having the best dream… Edward and I had woken up in the middle of the night, and _oh!_ It was so glorious. I felt his smooth lips press to my cheek, before his nose grazed my ear. "Love, wake up," He cooed into my ear, kissing it softly. I sighed, the smile growing larger, but my eyes still didn't open. I felt his fingers trail down my chest, tracing down my sternum and onto my stomach. That was strange… I remember telling him in my dream not to—

"SHIT!" I screeched, my eyes flying open as I tumbled off the bed. I collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily. Edward was still on my bed, his face frozen in amazement. He took one look at my disheveled appearance, and burst out laughing. "Out!" I demanded, pointing towards the door, fuming. He didn't move. "Edward, out! Now!" I commanded, standing up. I snatched his arm, and dragged him towards the door, flinging it open. I glared at Alice and Rosalie, who were both poised to burst through my door. Alice beamed at me.

"Good morning, love birds! I knew it was you two who were getting feisty last night!" That did not just come out of her mouth. Girls who had been peeking out of their doors to find out the cause of the commotion giggled as their eyes flicked from Edward, laughing and looking gorgeous, to me, disheveled and furious.

"You are unbelievable!" I cried dramatically, storming down the stairs. I honestly didn't care how I looked for breakfast. I jabbed the button for the elevator as a pale arm slipped around my shoulders. I shrugged it off.

"Bella, it was no big deal. I tickled you, and you flip out at me. Almost as bad as the time that I kissed Lauren so I could buy you an enormous bouquet of flowers, huh?" He snarled, and my mouth popped open.

"Oh…" I said quietly.

"Yeah," He snapped, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. Well, this was absolutely horrible. I made a fool of myself in front of the love of my life, and now he hated me. I knew this day would come. I wasn't good enough for him. Why, why, why? I wanted to hit my head repeatedly on the wall. I stepped towards said wall, and braced my forehead for impact. The elevator dinged. Well, the contusions would have to wait until I got off the silver contraption.

I stared blankly at my reflection in the mirrored doors. Edward was watching me, his brows furrowed slightly. He didn't look quite as angry as before. I kept going over his words in my head, and finally found my voice.

"You were going to spend that four hundred dollars… on me?" I choked out. Edward was by my side immediately, taking me in his arms.

"Of course—there's no one better to spend it on," he breathed. I tilted my head up, searching. He knew what I was looking for. His soft lips met mine in a sweet kiss. The elevator doors parted at the same time as us.

"I love you," I reminded him again, firmly taking his hand and leading him towards the food court. I swore that he murmured 'I know,' and a giggle escaped from my lips. He grinned at me, squeezing my hand. "So, lover boy, what's on the menu for breakfast today?" I asked him, batting my eyelashes.

"Pizza, sandwiches, burgers, the whole nine yards," he answered, his bright green eyes twinkling. My jaw dropped, and my eyes opened wide in surprise.

"What time is it?" I demanded, staring up at the sky. The sun wasn't at mid-point.

"One oh five post meridian," was his cheeky response. I groaned. "And I figured we could start your dance lessons later today…" He continued, with that grin still gracing his features.

"Sure, sure," I mumbled, searching the food court. "Let me just be human and eat." My stomach growled to prove my point. He chuckled, leading me to the sandwich area.

"You need something balanced and healthy. How about turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato on a wrap?" He suggested, as I eyed him curiously.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mister Nutritionist," I mumbled, before ordering what he had suggested. He laughed quietly at that, before taking my tray, and headed towards the cashier. On the way, he picked up two water bottles, a slice of pizza and two apples. "I didn't know grease was categorized as healthy," I noted, fluttering my eyelashes innocently. He scoffed, before tugging out his wallet to pay for the meal. "Damn. Edward, come back to my room when we finished. I have something for you." I furrowed my brows in concentration, trying to calculate how much my meal had cost. I didn't realize how wrong that sentence sounded until the cashier started giggling uncontrollably and Edward stared at me with incredulity. I rolled my eyes, snatching the tray and stalking off to find an empty table.

"Don't take it the wrong way, love, but I think you should give me a little sample of that." He raised a brow at me, smirking.

"Oh Edward, back to his old arrogant pig ways." I shook my head disdainfully. "And I meant I have to pay you back for this." I gestured towards my sandwich. "It's about seven fifty, right?" Edward was shaking his head, his lips pressed in a tight line of amusement. "Eight?" Still shaking his head. "Eight fifty? Nine? Jesus, if it's higher than nine fifty--" Edward cut me off with an explosion of laughter. I jumped slightly.

"It was free." His brows raised, challenging me.

"Uh, no. I'm paying you back, lover boy. No doubt about that." I shook my head violently, before taking another bite of my lunch.

"I love it when you call me that," he mused. I smiled brightly at him.

"Looks like someone needs a new screen name," I noted, picking a stray piece of lettuce off of my apple.

"Indeed," he agreed, taking a huge chomp of his pizza.

"Easy there. Don't want anyone dying of a grease overload." Edward glared at me until he swallowed.

"I hate you."

"Love you too, lover boy. I also love your comebacks. They're so cute." Where was all this confidence coming from? Was it because I was spending the whole day with Edward, dancing? Yes, it must have been that. Edward rolled his eyes, which got me thinking… strange thoughts. When Edward and I started a family, what would our children look like? I my eyes glazed over as I stared at a spot over his shoulder, daydreaming. There would be a little boy, Anthony. He would have dark brown hair, with a red tint in the sunlight. I could see his green eyes glistening with excitement, his face an exact copy of Edward's. His tiny hand was extended towards a little girl, who was no more than two years younger. Her heart shaped face and wide set chocolate eyes were directed towards me. Her miniature brow furrowed as she glared at her elder brother. She rolled her eyes, looking exactly like her father. Then she shook her head lightly. It was topped with thick curls, the color of a shiny penny. The girl scuttled over to me.

"Alison, he simply wants to play with you," I murmured to the little girl, as she reached for me. Edward was staring at me again.

"Did you just call me Alison?" He questioned with an amused chuckle. I blushed furiously.

"Er n-no, of c-course n-not," I stammered, looking anywhere but at those green eyes. They reminded me too much of the little girl in my day dream. Edward continued to watch me curiously.

"What are you thinking?" He leaned forward, his sweet breath washing over my face. I blushed crimson, causing him to lean closer. He brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "Please tell me?" He was dazzling me again. His eyes were shining through his thick lashes, urging me to tell him my thoughts.

"I was thinking… about children," I hedged, my gaze transfixed. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Children? Is there any significance there?" He inquired, leaning forwards still more. I shrugged slightly, blushing. "Who were the parents of these children?" Why, why _why _did he have to ask _that_ question. Hopefully, the unsightly virus that plagued my cheeks would give him insight. He didn't want to know, and I didn't want to tell him. But no, his eyes were still urging. I sighed.

"Ours," I admitted quietly, finally looking away from him. "And that's all I'm saying." His jaw was hanging as he stared at me. Chagrin rushed through my body as I shoved the rest of my sandwich down my throat. He didn't touch his pizza. I snatched the apple, and stood up, grabbing the water bottle. I started to walk away, when Edward finally pulled himself together.

"Forgive me, love. That was… quite the surprise," he mused, interlacing his fingers with mine. The table was left a mess. I didn't bother to clean it. I was absolutely mortified. "Won't you tell me what they looked like? Did they have names? How did they behave? How old were we?" He flung the questions at me like there was no tomorrow. I shook my head, staring determinedly ahead. He huffed impatiently. "You know, I _am_ going to find out some day," he said, a smug smirk tugging at his lips.

"The only way you'll find out is if it actually happens. And with all the options you have, I'd be deranged to think that those children will some day be real. Perhaps little Anthony will have blonde hair. Maybe 

Alison would have blue eyes," I shot back at him, before realizing that I had given him names. He had frozen in his place, his jaw dropped again.

"You… you would name… our son…" He choked out.

"If we ever had one," I corrected, standing a foot away from him, cursing my temper. He gazed at me, his eyes burning with passion as he leapt towards me, scooping me up in his arms and kissing me eagerly. I closed my eyes, sighing into him. His lips parted, and his tongue lightly traced my bottom lip.

"Excuse me. Public display of affection, much?" The high soprano of Alison's name sake shot at us. There was a guffaw, and a giggle, followed by a very quiet chuckle. The whole gang was here. "Keep it in your room… and keep it down, you kept Rose and myself up all night. What on Earth were you doing in there? Strip pillow fight?" Alice rolled her eyes. Emmett guffawed again, as I blushed, impossibly, deeper.

"We should play strip poker sometime," Emmett decided, and Rosalie smacked him lightly.

"That actually doesn't sound too bad… how about later tonight? Bella and I have a little rendez-vous right now, so if you'll excuse us…" Edward gracefully slipped past our friends, and we continued towards the dorms.

"Strip poker?" I whined, closing my eyes in distress. "I'm so bad at that game. I'm going to lose… on the plus side, I'll use your clothes to cover me." The thought of Edward's bare chest brightened me. Edward rolled his eyes, and I was immediately reminded of the children. I hoped Edward wouldn't bring that topic up again.

"So, Anthony and Alison?" The big man up there really had it in for me.

"Yes," I muttered reluctantly, crossing my arms across my chest as he pressed the button for the elevator.

"Alison, for Alice, per chance?" I nodded, pressing my lips tightly together. This was starting to get on my nerves. My cheeks still hadn't returned to their—well, they weren't ivory like the rest of my skin. I hopped quickly out of his arms as the elevator door opened.

"What am I supposed to wear?" I asked, walking to my closet. I sighed as I spotted a plain black practice skirt and high heels. Edward had followed me.

"Alice." We stated together, before bursting into laughter. He wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling his nose into my neck.

"Behave, Edward. I need to get dressed, and I'll meet you back here," I directed. Edward sighed, and I felt his brows pull together.

"Can't I help you out?"

"Edward, I've known you… consciously… for what, five days? I'm already in love with you, but you're pushing it," I scolded him with mock sincerity. In all honesty, he wasn't anywhere near my edge, but I didn't want to seem like an easy slut. He pouted, before letting me go change.

In the bathroom, I slipped into the skirt, and buckled up the shoes. I swore that I would break my ankle in the three inch heels. I pulled a comb through my hair, and quickly brushed my teeth. I rushed—at least, I moved as fast as I could without risking breaking an ankle—back towards my room. It had gotten to the point that if I was separated from Edward for too long, it would cause me physical pain. That was rather… bad.

His strong arms embraced me as I flung myself back into the room. My arms encircled his waist, as I breathed his delicious scent of honey and sun.

"Someone is excited," he noted, chuckling.

"How about a lesson? The cause is these heels, and the effect is my breaking a bone. Care to carry me?" I flashed a smile at him. He rolled his eyes, scooping me up in his arms bridal style. He placed a chaste kiss on my lips. I made an attempt to prolong it, but people were staring. I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck, and nestling my head into his chest. I closed my eyes, smiling contentedly.

"Bella, we're here," Edward whispered into my ear. I shivered as I opened my eyes, gazing around at the ballroom. It had a giant white marble floor, with a raised platform for the band running along the back wall. A white marble staircase curved against the wall adjacent to the platform, leading up to a huge set of golden double doors. The wall across from the stairs was made completely of glass, with a set of intricately made double doors. There was a beautiful terrace through these doors, with clay stones and small, circular wrought iron tables and chairs. There were currently no decorations, but I knew that there would be a different story on February 14.

"Oh. My. God." I gasped, staring blankly out the windows. "It's gorgeous."

"It pales in comparison to you." He was the sweetest, most beautiful, kindest, sexiest… I stopped the list there, because I really did not want to jump Edward right here, right now.

"Thank you," I said quietly. "Now let's get this dance lesson over with so we can hop in bed," I suggested, with a hint of sarcasm. His eyes danced. "Edward. Sarcasm. Five days," I reminded him with a giggle. He shrugged, pressing his lips to mine. "Dance lesson?" I asked him breathlessly. He sighed, pulling away.

"Yes, of course. Let's start with the basic position. You put your hand on my shoulder." I followed his instructions, as he placed his hand on my waist. "And take my hand with your other one." I again listened. "Perfect. Dancing is all in the leading. But we'll start with a relatively simple box step. It was the first one I learned. Now, take a step back and I take one forward…" I followed his instructions until we were moving in a graceful box. I had done the box step once before, and it had been absolutely horrific. With Edward, I felt more confident and much more comfortable. "Excellent. Now you know that revolving move everyone does?" He chuckled at the mortified expression at turning. "It's not as difficult 

as it seems." He pulled me tighter to him, and I rested my head on his chest. His chin was propped on the top of my head, as I let him revolve us slowly around in a circle. It was blissful.

And I had finally admitted I loved him.

**Author's Note: YAYAYAYAYYYYYYY I love this chapter. Recognize the I Love You scene? And if you're wondering, no, Bella has no premonition. Alice told her about this dream she had of Edward and Bella. I don't remember what chapter, but I do know that it was added about a day later than the chapter. JSYK my friends. So, yeah. Keep reviewing please!**


	14. Twelve: Explanations

**Disclaimer: These here characters? Yeah, I only own Skye and Christian. Stephenie Meyer owns all things high and Twilighty.**

**I want to thank FRK921 for agreeing to be my beta and reading over this. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!**

**Chapter 12: Explanations**

Sunday started virtually the same as Saturday. Edward and I slept in late, ate, then practiced dancing. When I concentrated just enough, I wouldn't trip over my feet. But I had to gauge my movements just right—too much or too little force would lead to my stepping on Edward's toes, but he was always such a good sport about it. Actually, the main reason I tried to get my  
movements right was because I was with him. If I were with anyone else, there wouldn't be a broken bone, and I can honestly say I wouldn't care.

"That time was really good, Bella. You only tripped twice!" he informed me, his brilliant green eyes dancing in amusement as a smirk graced his full lips. They were just so...kissable. I wanted to alleviate the distance between us, and press my mouth to his… Concentrate, Bella, I urged myself silently. I played off my intense staring by rolling my eyes. "Lets you and I hope that Anthony and Alison won't inherit your clumsiness." It took me a moment to soak in what he said. I quite liked the way he said you and I. I was replaying his words in my head when we started out of the ballroom, hand in hand.

"Well, excuse me, why don't you sign up for ballet lessons, Mister Graceful," I quipped as soon as I replayed his words for the fourth time, blushing furiously. He was always bringing up my little day dream. He certainly realized how chagrined I got whenever he mentioned the topic. However, he seemed ready to make the dream a reality. I was prepared as well, but there were things that had to be dealt with. First, I had to learn more about him. Second, we had to be wed—I believed whole heartedly in abstinence, even with my soul mate. Another mouth to feed wasn't exactly high on my Christmas list. The whole marriage thing brought up a conflict—Renee. She and my father, Charlie, had been married at a young age, and I was borne just before she scraped twenty. After a few months, she escaped to Phoenix, and I never questioned her intentions. Marrying young was a silly mistake, and exchanging vows anywhere before thirty was simply ridiculous. Edward swept an arm around my waist, jarring me out of my reverie.

"What are you thinking, love?" He inquired, pecking me on the cheek. "It's strange not to know—also strange how accustomed I am to all of these voices murmuring incoherently in my head," he mused, running a hand through his tousled bronze locks.

"I'm thinking about what you said," I started, before changing the topic. These were dangerous waters. "So, are the thoughts getting clearer? You know you have to keep me posted—I won't run away screaming. It would hurt too much," I pointed out, blushing. It would hurt me to be away from him for a long period of time, and since he had been staying with me at all  
times, I didn't want to have to readjust to only seeing him in Biology and during lunch. I had mixed feelings about going back to class tomorrow—first; there was the fact that I had missed so much work. Second was how everyone was going to have that pitying look in their eyes, always crooning that they hoped I felt better, when they actually couldn't care less. Third, I would be separated from Edward. That would be the worst. But I definitely wanted to do something useful with myself. I wanted to challenge my brain—exactly where Trigonometry would come in handy. Mathematics was not my forte.

"Yes, the thoughts are getting clearer," he started, glancing quickly in my direction. "I can hear people's thoughts more clearly if I am close to them, and I have heard their actual voice before. If I know a person very well, if I've heard them speak for most of my life, I can hear their thoughts as if they were whispering in my ear. But it's more than just that. I can hear them from distances. I haven't really experimented, but while I was at the hospital, I could faintly hear Alice's mumbled worries about you. Only snippets, but she wasn't concentrating on her studies as she should have." He raised a brow at me, that knowing smirk still on his lips. I nodded slowly, absorbing all this information. "If I could hear your thoughts, I'm certain they would be clearest."

"And do you have any theories on why?" We weren't walking anymore, just standing in the middle of the road.

"I talked to Carlisle about it. He thinks that your brain functions differently than others, but with the same outcome. It's as if on a radio, I only receive FM frequency, and you run on AM. But it may be something completely different. It is, after all, just a theory." He paused, taking a breath. I was watching him curiously, unaware of my fingers clinging onto his for dear life. He looked pointedly at our intertwined hands, before laughing quietly. It was like silver bells on a crisp Sunday morning. It was something I would love to wake up to—almost as much as the person laughing.

"Sorry," I squeaked, loosening my grip slightly. He shook his head before continuing. "Before I even had this little… quirk, let's call it… I always found people easy to read. I could tell when someone liked me, and I used it to my advantage. I admit that I didn't treat women the way they deserve. I went through them the way Alice goes through outfits—one use and then I needed something new. Nothing ever lasted more than a month, and nothing ever went past feeling a girl up. I refuse to have sex with anyone unless I know I'm in love with them." He looked pointedly at me, and I felt my cheeks burn. "Tanya, and many before her, thought that they were the ones to change my immoral ways, but they never could. I didn't want them to. I liked the way I was—I was accepted by everyone. There were lots of beautiful girls, sure, but I never felt anything more for them than just playmates. And with all these girls, and my amazing track skills—" He flashed me a cocky grin while I rolled my eyes—"People wanted to be my friend. And I liked it.

"Then, there was the buzz that a new student was arriving. No one knew anything about her, but she was the talk of the school. They didn't even know her name…

"I think you recall our first encounter. I didn't expect anything more of you than just another girl who wanted me. But your hostility surprised me—everything you did, everything about you takes me by surprise. One of the many reasons I love you." He paused, letting the words sink in, the cocky grin morphing into a sweet smile. "When you rejected me, I knew I had  
to have you. I wanted you. You presented me with a challenge, and it was one I couldn't resist. Every other girl fawned over me, and then there was you. You struck me, the moment I saw you. Your hair fell into your face in a tantalizing manner. Your cheeks were flushed with disgust and embarrassment. The way your arms crossed your chest, like you were taunting me. And then there were your eyes…" He brushed a strand of hair away from my eyes. They widened slightly. "Your big, beautiful, brown doe eyes. I wanted to take you right then. But I didn't. First, I had to end things with Tanya. Then I had to work my charm on you. But you didn't really fall for either. And it wasn't until you walked away from me that first day of class that I realized that I didn't just want you to play with. I wanted to be the one who caused your face to flush with pleasure. I wanted to be the one who made you giggle. I wanted to be the one to hold you when you needed someone. I was determined, and I took every chance that fate threw at me. Of course, they intervened through Alistair and Rosalie…" He trailed off, closing his eyes. I was well aware that my jaw was unhinged in surprise, but I didn't bother to close it. I knew that it would pop open again with another confession. "When Mike gave me the bet with Lauren, I figured that fate would be on my side, and help me out. And once I got the money, I would spend it on you—I knew you wouldn't question where it came from. But I should have known. The fates were always against us… when you saw me, I wanted to crawl into the deepest pits of hell, and die. I tried to reason with myself that you were just one girl, and your opinion of me didn't matter. I tried to tell myself that I wasn't yours, no matter how much I wished I was. But I couldn't. I had to win you back. I apologized—a first. When Rosalie called me, I didn't  
want to talk to her. I was too busy trying to plan something that would blow your mind." I cut him off before he continued.

"Rose never called," I recalled. He looked at me, bewildered.

"Yeah, I guess you just weren't—"

"That was me. I borrowed her phone. I was going to tell you then that I was sorry for being angry for no real reason. But you hung up before I had the chance to speak." I giggled weakly at the memory. Comprehension dawned on his perfect features.

"Oh…"Edward grinned sheepishly. "So you called me? And I told you what I was up to…" I nodded, inserting a little giggle.

"Hey, Edward?" He quirked a brow, urging me to continue.

"Did I ever tell you I love you?" He chuckled, pulling me tighter to him.

His lips brushed against my ear as he spoke. "I do believe you mentioned that recently," He murmured, before turning my face to meet his lips. The kiss was more passionate than any we had shared before. My fingers knotted in his hair, locking our mouths together. He pulled my body against every curve of him. My tongue traced his bottom lip, and he obliged to my request. After a few heated moments, I was light headed from lack of oxygen. I reluctantly pulled away, and he brought his lips to my neck, placing chaste kisses up to my jaw line.

"I love you," I repeated, smiling down at him. His face was glowing with glee.

"I love you more," he challenged, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"No way." That was absurd. No one could love anyone more than I loved him. For a fleeting moment, I wished that he could read my mind and see that.

"Yes way," He shot back, smirking. I simply rolled my eyes, not wanting to argue my point further.

"Sure, sure," I said in a patronizing manner, before trotting towards the food court. Edward hurried to catch up to me, sliding his hand into mine.

.:.

I chewed thoughtfully on my orange chicken. Edward had already polished off his sandwich, and was watching me closely. Not that this was much of a change, but I was still self conscious with his eyes scanning my chomping mouth.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, stating his usual inquiry.

"Actually, that's what I was thinking about. You said that you find almost everyone easy to read, everyone except for myself. But my mom always told me that I was like her open book—she always knew what I was thinking. And she's no mind reader. I suppose she's just… observant," I mused, swallowing my meal.

"I don't know, to be honest. I've never met your mom outside the hospital… let alone in the hospital where she gave you a sex talk." Oh. Dear. God. NO! He did not just mention that talk my mother had with me about our physical relationship. I dropped my fork, and buried my face in my hands.

"No, no, no, no…" I moaned, shaking my head in anguish. Edward reached across the table, trailing his fingers lightly along his hand.

"Don't be worried, Bella… I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. If I recall correctly, you know full well that you are my life. If you're happy, I'm happy," he responded in a comforting manner. My cheeks burned—I was so lucky to have this wonderful person in my life. He deserved better than me!

"Abstinence," I croaked, before burying my head in my hands.

"Of course, love. Anything for you. You are my life," He replied quickly, brushing his lips against my fingers.

"If you're happy, I'm happy." My words came out muffled from behind my hands.

"But love, please do me a favor." I waited for him to continue. "Don't hide your beautiful face." I smiled weakly before moving my hands. He scooted his chair so that it was next to me. "Now, are you going to eat this, or do I have to force feed you?" I would like to see that.

"Let me see you try," I challenged, my confidence building back up. He scooped some white rice—I held in a grimace. Why did I challenge him? Oh right. Because I was stupid. He held the spoon up to my lips, which were pressed in a tight line. I furrowed my brows as he pouted. So he would play that game?

"Shall we pretend that I already ate so that we can… partake… in other activities?" I lifted my brows suggestively. The spoon dropped from his hand, and he was already dragging me out of my seat. "Glad to know my seduction works on someone," I mumbled, looking back towards the dirty table. I was itching to clean it up, wanting to save the job from another unlucky student. No one liked clearing tables. But Edward's grip was definitely not about to loosen, so I grudgingly followed him. When we reached the outside of our building, my focus zoomed in to a familiar form. Déjà vu slapped me in the face. It was not one figure, but two. They were so closely intertwined, one could hardly tell them apart. I knew the distinguishing factors because I had seen this before. A very familiar (unfortunately) strawberry blonde head and a vaguely familiar blonde head. I froze, as did Edward.

"Tanya?" He called to her hesitantly. She unglued herself for a moment, glaring at whoever had interrupted. I immediately grabbed Edward's hand, feeling uneasy about this whole situation. Tanya's frozen eyes flicked from his sculpted feature, to my plain face, then to our intertwined fingers.

"Edward. Isabella." Whoa, what was that about? Isabella? Come on, now. A pair of nervous hazel eyes met mine. I gasped.

"Christian?" I choked out, staring at him in awe. He turned bright red. "How is Skye? I haven't heard from her in ages…" His face darkened even more, and he looked away from me.

"I don't know." His voice was tight. My grip tightened around Edward's fingers. He shot a look at me, but I pretended not to notice. "Oh, well you probably should know these types of things. Considering she is your girlfriend," I spat, stomping into the building.

.:.

I collapsed on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I looked over towards Edward, who was sitting by my feet. "Why?" I whispered, my eyes closing.

"Christian has been thinking… naughty thoughts… lately. Since before Skye left. I think he was just using her," Edward responded, and I felt his fingers brush against my cheek. "Some people fall out of love. Some people never had it to begin with. But then, there are those who are the luckiest people on Earth, those who will do anything for the one they love. Their  
soul mate…" He trailed off. I allowed one of my eyes to open a crack. Edward was staring out the window pensively. His words sounded strangely familiar.

_"Mommy, where's daddy?" I asked. I stuck my index finger in between my swollen lips. I had bitten them so much lately. Renee turned to me, her face wary._

_"He's not here," She responded shortly. I tilted my head in confusion. My seven year old mind couldn't comprehend why. _

_"Why?" _

_Renee sighed deeply. "Bella, sometimes people fall out of love."_

Edward was staring at me again. "You alright?" He asked me quietly. I shrugged lightly, turning to look out the window. He crawled up next to me, placing his fore arms on either side of me. He swiftly tucked his arms around me, his legs over mine. It looked as if he was tucking me in a cage. **(a/n: This is how I imagined it during Twilight, if you think it looks different… then go on and picture it that way.)** I turned my head and raised a brow at him. He shook his head once, before brushing his lips to my ear. "Let's play a game," He purred seductively.

"Mmhmm," I gasped as his nose trailed against my jaw line. He pressed his mouth to my neck, and I felt the vibrations of his chest as he chuckled. He tilted his chin up slightly, his green eyes sparkling. My breathing was rapid and heavy, my heart thrumming irregularly. He touched his lips to mine in a soft kiss. My arms wrapped around his neck, urging him closer.

"How I love the effect I have on you," he murmured against my lips. I shivered involuntarily, his sweet breath intoxicating. His lips were more forceful and eager on mine now.

"Won't you two get a room?" I heard a soprano voice that sounded like a chorus of wind chimes. I reluctantly pressed the palm of my hand to Edward's cheek, and our lips parted. Very, very reluctantly.  
"Nice of you to pop by, Alice," I greeted her dryly. She giggled, hopping towards the bed. "And for your information, we are in a room. My room." I grinned mischievously. Alice rolled her eyes, turning to stalk back out the door. "Where do you think you're going, you little pixie? I haven't talked to you in ages. Come sit," I directed, and Alice obliged, bouncing onto my bed. She tightly wrapped her arms around me—a feat, since Edward had only shifted to my side with his arms still protectively encasing me.

"So Alice, how are you?" Edward asked her. She stared at him in silence for a moment before he nodded. "I'm pretty swell, and yourself?" It was strange knowing that Alice was only speaking aloud for my benefit. And if Edward's little gift had gotten more potent by the day, what about Alice's?

"Alice, tell me about your visions," I requested quietly. She raised a perfectly arched brow, but nodded.

"I'm still unsure of how they work. There are two options. One, I see things happening again that have already happened… a very strong sense of Déjà Vu. I can't tell when these things will happen, I just see flashes of it, and I know that it has already happened. Two, I see flashes of the future based on decisions, but I don't know what decisions are made to lead people to his future. It's all very subjective. One minute, I can see something clearly. The next, I'm seeing a scene with the same people, but it gives a completely different vibe… you know?" I gave a noncommittal jerk of the head. Honestly, I had lost her long ago.

"Are your visions clearer when you know the person better? Just like with Edward?" I inquired, staring at her intently.

"Yes. Edward is the clearest for me because I have been living with him for… a while. What is it now, fifteen years?" She glanced at Edward, who nodded before closing his eyes and resting his head on my arm. A small smile crept across my face. Alice was still staring at him for a moment—no doubt relaying her thoughts about this to him.

"Yes, I already told you that she knows." A few moments more of silence. "The same." Alice squealed in delight.

"Excellent! Now, where was I? Oh yes, my visions are clearer with people I know better. Each moment I spend with you, Bella, your future gets clearer. Don't you remember when I told you about a dream I had over breakfast? About you and Edward? And did you not experience that earlier? Or… something. And then the whole bed incident." I shuddered involuntarily, recalling the smell of rust and salt. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to clear my head. "Yeah, I told you not to jump on my bed. And then there's this other vision I--"

"Alice, enough." Edward's tone was rough, if velvet could ever be defined as so. Alice snapped her mouth closed. I was surprised—Alice listening to Edward? "She was actually thinking about that." Alice's eyes widened in surprise. "I'll tell you about it later," He replied to her thoughts lazily. She rolled her eyes before returning her attention to me.

"Well, tomorrow you're going back to school. And since the dance is in..." She glanced at the calendar— "Seventeen days, you should really get working. You need to order your boutonniere and corsage, continue with your dance lessons, and deal with Tanya. Don't worry about the dress. Rose and I have it covered." She gave me a devious smirk. I groaned, shaking my head.

"Alice, I don't want you to do this for me. It's too much—you know I hate being spoiled!" I complained, burying my nose in Edward's hair. His fingers started to lightly trace the veins on the inside of my arm.

"Bella, I want to! You're not allowed to complain while I have my fun. So anyways, Edward, you need to get working with Lauren. She wants the flowers to be blue right? Well, yeah, Bella's dress is blue. Perfection! It's deep sky blue—not to difficult to forget, eh? It's beautiful. By the way, who is Tanya going with?" I shrugged, honestly not caring.

"Rosalie doesn't know?"

"Well, yes, she does. But she won't tell me. She says that if I want her to remain on Tanya's good side for spying purposes, she can't dish everything. Well, I'm sorry I can't keep every single secret! I'm not super human! Well, actually I am, but that's beside the point. So... any guesses?"

"Christian." Edward supplied. I had already forgotten about our encounter with Tanya and Christian with all these details of Alice's and Edward's little gifts.

"Probably," I mused, closing my eyes again.

"No, she's going with Christian. I can faintly hear her voice screaming out his name from her new room. Interesting, huh?" He corrected me with a chuckle.

"Okay, 'cause that's really cool. Isn't he dating Skye? What even happened to her anyways?" Alice looked around the room, as if she was half expecting Skye to pop out from behind the desk and shout 'Surprise!'

"Haven't the foggiest. She did give me her number though… we should call her!" I announced, scrambling out of my bed. I snatched a piece of paper, and dug my cell phone out of my pocket. I quickly pressed the buttons and clutched the phone to my ear. The tone rang once. Twice. Three times. Four times.

_'Hey, this is Skye Holmes, leave a message!'_

"Hey Skye, it's Bella, and I was just checking in on you. Where are you? Call me, bye." I pressed end. "That was… interesting. I'll wait for her return call."

But it never came.

Edward was distracting me by asking trivial questions.

"What's your favorite music?"

"I like all types."

"Favorite food?"

"I'm not picky."

"Favorite book?"

"You should know that I like anything that has a binding. But I'm a fan of the classics."

"Do you consider Wuthering Heights a classic?" He shot a glance towards the almost ruined book on my bedside table. I scowled at him.

"Favorite sport?"

"Edward, seriously. I like competitive scrapbooking," I replied dryly. Edward burst out laughing, almost as loud as Emmett. Alice was flipping idly thorough Skye's magazines, her eyes unfocused. I wondered what she was doing. Edward's head jerked quickly towards her, and they made eye contact. Then he continued to fling questions at me.

"Favorite author?"

"I quite enjoy Shakespeare."

"Oh? Any particular favorites?" He asked wryly. He knew full well that I loved Romeo and Juliet.

"Let's think. We've recited it before. It is probably one of the most romantic works out there. Take a guess."

"I see." And on it went. I had forgotten all about Skye and her disappearance, and the speed of the interrogation was picking up.

"Favorite color?"

"Depends on my mood. Right now, it's" He stared into my eyes, and my answer changed. "Ye-Green."

"Ye-green?" He asked, an adorably confused expression on his features.

"Green," I confirmed, a slight blush creeping across my face.

"Care to elaborate?" I shook my head violently. "I'll find out, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I do. Now is it my turn to ask the questions?" He shook his head, and shot out another round.

"Favorite gemstone?"

"Emerald," I answered immediately. This wasn't the answer I was expecting though—until very, very recently, my favorite gemstone had been garnet. The blush raged across my cheeks, obvious to anyone who even allowed a quick glance in my direction. He waited for my explanation.

"It's for the same reason my favorite color is green… and has been for about five conscious days," I hedged. I hoped that he wouldn't catch on, but no. Edward wasn't dumb.

"You like my eyes." He assumed. Flecks of gold glinted in them, giving me a pining feeling in the pit of my stomach. I nodded, at a loss for words at his effortless beauty. "Don't be embarrassed. My favorite color is brown, and my favorite candy is chocolate. My favorite type of wood is mahogany, and…" He trailed off, smirking. I waited, rather impatient, for him to continue.

"I prefer brunettes."

**Author's Note: BUM BA DUM BUM BUUUUUM. Not the longest chapter, just sort of a filler. With some importance... next chapter is a half chapter, then the drama RECOMMENCES! SO YEAH, KEEP READING PLEASE :) And review.**


	15. Interlude II: Shouting

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight characters! WOOHEEWEO  
****THANK YOU NEW YORK AND FRK921 FOR BEING MY BETA! BOW DOWN TO HER. NOW!**

**Chapter 12.5: (feels like they are) Shouting**

_Edward Cullen_

Bella collapsed onto her bed as soon as I pushed the door open, while I settled near her feet. We had just discovered that Skye's boyfriend was cheating on her. And with Tanya… I shivered at the mere thought.

"Why?" She whispered, and I heard her voice crack faintly. I thought back to our encounter—Christian was memorizing the curves of Tanya's figure, and recalling the magnificent night they had last night. I cringed. He had been thinking similar thoughts the same day we met Skye.

"Christian has been thinking… naughty thoughts… lately. Since before Skye left. I think he was just using her," I said slowly. It was always very sad when you find out your love didn't want you. Then again, I wasn't sure their relationship was truly love in the first place. Skye had been concentrating on anything and everything except Christian when she arrived. But I could see flashes of when he wasn't treating her like he had been when they first got together. She was suspicious. "Some people fall out of love. Some people never had it to begin with. But then, there are those who are the luckiest people on Earth, those who will do anything for the one they love. Their soul mate…" I gazed out the window, trailing deep into thought. I would never fall out of love with Bella. She was my soul mate, and I would do anything she asked. I would never leave her, unless that was what she wanted. I wasn't strong enough to be away from her. Bella was quite for some time, and I turned my attention to her. Her mahogany hair fanned out around her head like an angel's halo, and her pale skin glowed in the faint light pouring through the window. Her eyelids were quivering, looking as though she was trying to hold back tears.

"You alright?" I asked her quietly. She shrugged, her lids opening as she turned to the window. Her gaze was unfocused, her eyes shining with unshed tears. I wondered if she was even aware of them. I crawled up next to her, tucking my limbs protectively around her. She watched me, confused, as my lips grazed her ear.

"Let's play a game," I suggested alluringly. Anything to make her forget these events.

"Mmhmm." My nose was trailing along her jaw line. I pressed my lips to her neck, chuckling lightly. I looked up at her, listening to her uneven breathing. I loved the effect I had on her. My mouth made its way to hers, starting off soft. Her arms were wrapped around my neck, urging me closer. I had to voice my thoughts.

"How I love the effect I have on you." My lips moved against hers as I spoke. She shivered as I kissed her more passionately. I was about to free her from my protective cage to run my fingers through her long hair when I heard an annoying, unwelcome voice.

"Won't you two get a room?" Bella rested her small hand on my warm cheek, pushing me gently away. I stared at her while she sniped at Alice.

"Nice of you to pop by, Alice. And for your information, we are in a room. My room." I pressed my lips into a tight line as she spoke. She was so wonderful, always making me laugh.

_Move over, Edward. I'm jumping onto the bed, whether she invites me to or not._ Alice was turning towards the door, silently calculating how many strides it would take her to reach the bed. I reluctantly followed Alice's demands while Bella spoke again.

"Where do you think you're going, you little pixie? I haven't talked to you in ages. Come sit," Bella ordered, softly patting the bit of bed on her other side. Alice obliged, leaping gracefully onto the mattress. She wrapped her arms tightly around Bella, snaking them through mine as well. I tightened my grip, unwilling to let go. _Edward, I'm not going to steal her away!_

"So Alice, how are you?" I asked her stiffly. She rolled her eyes. _I would like to spend some quality alone time with my best friend, but that's not happening…_

"I'm pretty swell, and yourself?" Alice opted for a better answer. Good. I didn't want Bella to be upset that I didn't want to share her.

"Alice, tell me about your visions," Bella requested suddenly. Alice quirked a brow, but took a breath, thinking about her tangent before starting it.

"I'm still unsure of how they work…." Alice continued, but I wasn't listening. I wasn't sure if Bella would quite understand the whole thing. She was so wonderful, even in her slight confusion. My thoughts strayed to all of the moments I had felt her lips against mine, the movement of them when she spoke three or four magnificent words. How had I possibly gotten so lucky? Looking back on my former behavior, I didn't understand why she liked me. Certainly, she was attracted to my dashing good looks. But had she seen past the rough exterior I had created in order to fit in? I didn't doubt that—whenever I had been around Bella, I could be myself. The real me. There was only one important fact that she didn't know about me. I was still waiting for the perfect time to play for her. The lullaby was beautiful, just like her. She inspired it—just like she inspired every moment of my life. I could write a million songs about her, and it still wouldn't portray how lucky, happy, and in love I was. My gaze strayed to her. She was staring intently at Alice, who was probably just wrapping up her tale. My eyes memorized every beautiful feature of her face.

"…Just like with Edward?" I was jerked out of my reverie when Bella's beautiful voice said my name.

"Yes. Edward is the clearest for me because I have been living with him for… a while. What is it now, fifteen years?" Alice glanced at me, yelling at me. _Were you paying attention at all? Obviously not. Edward, Bella is so smitten by you. Her eyes seemed somewhat unfocused, and at first I was confused as to why. Then she asked about you. Have you told her you love her?_

"Yes, I already told you that she knows." _Oh, that's right. I had the vision ages ago. How did it go? Never mind, it went swimmingly, seeing as you're here and not… dead. How does she feel about you?_ "The same," I responded, a small smile creeping across my face. Alice squealed in delight. Bella was gazing at each of us in turn during our silent exchange.

"Excellent! Now, where was I? Oh yes, my visions are clearer with people I know better. Each moment I spend with you, Bella, your future gets clearer. Don't you remember when I told you about a dream I had over breakfast? About you and Edward? And did you not experience that earlier? Or… something. And then the whole bed incident." Off she went on another tangent, as if we didn't converse at all. A memory popped up in Alice's mind as she decided to relay it to Bella. "Yeah, I told you not to jump on my bed. And then there's this other vision I--"

"Alice, enough," I demanded. I didn't want to embarrass Bella further with the thoughts of her day dream. I, of course, was ecstatic when Alice announced to me that she saw Bella and I together, a diamond glinting on her third finger. Two children were sitting around us, a girl and a boy. The little girl had long bronze curls, and the boy had a shock of mahogany hair. We were settled around the fire, exchanging tales about our day. "She was actually thinking about that," I added quietly. Alice's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, her thoughts going a mile a minute. I only caught pieces. _Your children… names? Oh my god… her too! DETAILS!_ She screamed silently, her gaze locked on mine.

"I'll tell you about it later," I replied, trying to make my tone nonchalant. I truly hoped that Bella wouldn't catch on.

"Well, tomorrow you're going back to school. And since the dance is in--" Alice shot a glance at the calendar— "Seventeen days, you should really get working. You need to order your boutonniere and corsage, continue with your dance lessons, and deal with Tanya. Don't worry about the dress. Rose and I have it covered." The dress? I knew that I would be breathless when I saw Bella. She would be beautiful. Then again, she is always beautiful. Bella groaned.

"Alice, I don't want you to do this for me. It's too much—you know I hate being spoiled!" She whined her face crumpling. I wanted to shout at Alice for making Bella upset. But I also wanted to see Bella in that dress… Bella buried her face into my hair, and I felt her inhale deeply. I idly traced the veins on the inside of her creamy arm.

"Bella, I _want_ to do this. You're not allowed to complain while I have my fun. So anyways, Edward, you need to get working with Lauren. She wants the flowers to be blue right? Well, yeah, Bella's dress is blue. Perfection! It's deep sky blue—not to difficult to forget, eh? It's beautiful. By the way, who is Tanya going with?" Deep sky blue… I tucked away the valuable detail for later. I was thankful that Lauren had an interesting (to say the least) choice of color coordination.

"Rosalie doesn't know?" Bella asked Alice lazily. I was starting to tune them out again, trying to picture the dress. My fingers continued to trace the inside of Bella's arm.

"Well, I'm sorry I can't keep _every single secret_! I'm not super human! Well, actually I am, but that's beside the point. SO, any guesses?" They were still going on about Tanya's date. I heard a faint moaning and screaming. Tanya. _Christian… oh Christian… mmmm… the dance is going to be so divine. I'm glad you're coming with me rather than that hoe Skye Holmes… 'cause I can please you in so many ways._ I cringed, pulling myself out of her thoughts.

"Christian." I replied, running my fingers along the inside of Bella's arm.

"Probably," Bella murmured, closing her eyes in contempt.

"No, she's going with Christian. I can faintly hear her voice screaming out his name from her new room. Interesting, huh?" I corrected her with a chuckle. She frowned unconsciously.

"Okay, 'cause that's really cool. Isn't he dating Skye? What even happened to her anyways?" Alice was searching the room. Did she really expect for Skye to come waltzing in? _Here I am!_ Very unlikely.

"Haven't the foggiest. She did give me her number though… we should call her!" Bella announced, clambering out of the bed towards her phone and the slip of paper Skye had left for us. I wanted to never let her go. She dialed the number, waiting, and finally left a message. She decided to wait for a return call. _It won't come,_ Alice shouted at me in her thoughts. I attempted to distract Bella with trite questions.

"What's your favorite music?"

"I like all types."

"Favorite food?"

"I'm not picky."

"Favorite book?"

"You should know that I like anything that has a binding. But I'm a fan of the classics."

"Do you _consider Wuthering _Heights a classic?" I glanced over at the book on her bedside table. The binding was ruined, and the pages folded. "Favorite sport?"

"Edward, seriously. I like competitive scrapbooking," She replied dryly. I laughed loudly—silly Bella with her beautiful sense of humor. Everything about her was so perfect... Alice was flipping idly thorough Skye's magazines, her eyes unfocused. _What happened to Skye?_ She thought suddenly. My head jerked towards her. I honestly had no idea what happened to the poor girl, and why she wasn't coming back. Did it have something to do with Christian? I didn't answer, choosing to continue pelting Bella with questions instead. My eyes snapped back to hers.

"Favorite author?"

"I quite enjoy Shakespeare."

"Oh? Any particular favorites?" I asked wryly, expecting her answer. With so many unpredictable things, I knew that I could count on the fact that she would answer _Romeo and Juliet._ One of my personal favorites as well.

"Let's think. We've recited it before. It is probably one of the most romantic works out there. Take a guess."

"I see." I continued questioning her at top speed. She seemed to be distracted, albeit uncomfortable with all the attention. I gazed at her intently as I continued asking her my questions.

"Ye-green."

"Ye-green?" Was there a new color? Or was she unsure of how to pronounce chartreuse.

"Green," she confirmed, blushing. I wanted to know why that beautiful color was spreading across the delicate skin of her cheeks.

"Care to elaborate?" She quickly shook her head no. "I'll find out, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I do. Now is it my turn to ask the questions?" I held in a scoff. As if. I resolved to shaking my head, and flinging another question at her, my gaze never straying from hers.

"Favorite gemstone?"

"Emerald," she responded immediately. Again, bright red flashed across her cheeks. I vowed that this would be the time that I found out about her little secret. I waited patiently for her explanation, very sure that she would give it to me… eventually.

"It's for the same reason my favorite color is green… and has been for about five conscious days," she hedged. Her gaze flicked to my eyes, then down to her lap, then back again. It clicked.

"You like my eyes," I stated simply. Her blush darkened slightly as she nodded. "Don't be embarrassed. My favorite color is brown, and my favorite candy is chocolate. My favorite type of wood is mahogany, and…" I trailed off for the effect, and to gauge her reaction. I knew that she had low self esteem, but if she could make me fall in love with her, then why? Why didn't she realize her beauty. Her eyes, her pointed chin, her soft hands, her hair…

"I prefer brunettes." I grinned as she blushed further. "And you need to work on your self esteem, beautiful." _Edward, stop being so cheesy,_ Alice commanded. I ignored her. Bella's entire face was scarlet by this point. "You really don't see yourself clearly. Do you not comprehend how many boys nearly swoon at the sight of you? No, I suppose not, because you can't read their minds…" He mused, his eyes locked on mine.

"Edward…" She said weakly.

"I think that's enough with the probing questions for now," I murmured, dragging my lips to meet hers passionately. Alice coughed loudly. I growled, my grip tightening on Bella's arm.

"Ow," she squeaked, looking up at me in hurt. I gave her an apologetic look, before glaring at Alice.

"Don't you have some tarot readings or something that only psychics do?" I spat at her. Alice glared back at me.

"No, but I do have a boyfriend I can have hot, wild sex with. See you." With that, she stormed out of the room. Bella was looking uncomfortable again—probably the sex comment. Why would she want to make love to me? She was the most perfect creature on the face of the planet. I restarted stroking the inside of her arm.

"Don't worry, Bella. Go get ready for bed—I'll be here when you get back," I suggested sweetly. She smiled weakly at me.

"Promise?"

"Anything for you, love."

**Author's Note: Ta da. Edward's point of view. Now you know what Alice was thinking. Review!**


	16. Thirteen: Tanya Pt I

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, unless I was turned into Stephenie Meyer overnight... nope, I wasn't So I don't own any of the characters. **

**A/N: THANK YOU FRK921 FOR BEING THE BEST BETA EVER. That's right. You heard me. She's awesome.**

**Chapter 13: Tanya  
**  
I felt myself being reluctantly dragged back to consciousness. And I was having such a wonderful dream too! Edward and I were alone in a beautiful meadow, holding each other and watching the sunset. He was murmuring sweet nothings into my ear. It was pure and absolute bliss.

I cracked an eye open, and the other flew open immediately. My personal Adonis was sleeping peacefully next to me. I glanced at the bed across the room—still vacant. My eyes flickered to my clock, which read six forty five. This gave us three quarters of an hour to get ready and eat breakfast. But looking back to Edward, I concluded that a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.

A small smile crept across his full lips. "Good morning, beautiful," he murmured. I blushed. How had he known I was looking? And it hadn't even been a full minute. His emerald eyes slowly blinked the sleep out of his eyes. I lightly kissed the tip of his perfect nose.

"Good morning. We have about forty five minutes until class. I'll meet you at the food court in a half hour?" I suggested, tilting my head to the side to get a better look at him.

"I don't know if I can wait that long," he countered, closing his eyes again, and drawing me closer. I eagerly complied, snuggling my cheek into his chest. He placed a kiss in my hair, inhaling a deep breath.

"Okay Edward, we really should get going. I've already missed a whole week of school, and I don't want to make it more." I rolled out of bed, giving him a regretful look, before diving into my closet. I really did want to look nice for my first day back. I pulled a black butterfly wrap shirt and bright turquoise jeans out of my closet, snatching the closest pair of black shoes. I folded my clothes over my arm, and ducked out of the closet. Edward had sadly, already left. I snatched my toiletries bag and tucked it under my arm as I hurried towards the bathroom.

Edward was waiting for me when I walked quickly towards the food court, as I was running my fingers self consciously through my hair. I had quickly brushed through it, nothing special, and I was worried it didn't look right. But the way his eyes popped out when he spotted me… well, that told me quite the contrary. I smiled shyly at him.

"Hello again," I greeted quietly. He was still at a loss for words, his eyes grazing over my body. "Breakfast time for the humans," I teased, gently taking his hand, and leading him towards Starbucks. I ordered my favorite drink while Edward ordered his. He, of course, insisted on paying. Then he linked his arm through mine, and we started off towards class. He continued asking me questions, generally yes or no, as I nibbled at my muffin. Edward pecked my cheek when we stopped outside the door to English, knowing that we wouldn't be able to be that close for a while.

Once inside the classroom Mike bounded to the desk next to mine. I gave him a timid smile—his returning one was brilliant.

"Hello, Mike," I greeted him pleasantly.

"Hey, Bella," he responded with a nervous grin. I returned my attention to the front board, tuning out Mike's muttered musings. I took explicit notes on the lecture, successfully keeping my mind off of Edward. As the bell rang, I shoved my notebook and pen back into my bag, slinging it wildly over my shoulder. I hurried out of the room, only to find myself face to face with Jessica. I stared at her blankly, and she offered me a weak smile.

"Hi, Bella, can I talk to you for a sec? Alone?" She looked pointedly at a spot over my shoulder. I turned around to see what she was glaring at, spotting Mike turning and walking quickly away. "Walk with me," she requested quietly, striding off in the opposite direction with her big brown curls bouncing. I followed her, growing more suspicious with each step. She finally stopped, and whirled around to face me.

"What is with you and Mike?" I could tell that her words went deeper than trying to figure out my love life. I had seen the way she looked at Mike; I had also seen the way he had eyes only for me. "I asked him if he was going with anyone to the ball, and he said no. Then I asked him if he would like to go with me, and he said he'll think about it! I know he's trying to pluck up the courage to go with you, even though you pay no attention to him!" She sniffled loudly, dramatically ending her rant. My eyes were wide, and my jaw hung.

"I'm not going with him," I started as soon as I regained my composure. "I'm going with… a friend."

"Is it Edward? You know he's a womanizer. At least, that's what everyone called him before you came…" She trailed off.

"No, I'm not going with Edward," I replied, sighing deeply. Jessica cracked a smile.

"You two are cute together… but watch out for Tanya. She's mad jealous," she warned. I nodded a bit, before giving her a small wave, and heading to my next class.

I stepped quickly over the threshold as the bell rang, scurrying over to the empty desk next to Alice.

"Tsk tsk, Bella. Almost late again… you shouldn't make this a habit!" I rolled my eyes, before gazing absently at the white board. "Bella, you know me better than that. Tell me why you were late," she demanded, her petite features drawn in concentration. "Wait, let me guess. Mike has plans to ask you to the dance?" I nodded sullenly. "He appears quite… determined. The vision of him dancing with you is extremely clear," she explained quickly. I groaned inwardly, while Alice smirked.

"So you've decided that the visions are based on decisions rather than the strong sense of déjà vu?" Alice nodded. I jerked my head upwards slightly, and then back down. It was a very awkward nod. She giggled loudly.

"Miss Swan, miss Brandon, I'm going to have to ask you to quiet down please." I pressed my lips together in a tight line, returning to my blank staring. I impatiently awaited the resounding ding of the bell, which would announce my freedom. When it finally came, I sprang from my seat, and towards the door. I waited for Alice, and she quickly caught up.

"Bella, I'm not going to trig. I have a doctor's appointment that Jazz is taking me to. I'll see you in lunch!" She kissed me on the cheek in farewell, bouncing off towards the exit of the building. I sighed, trudging towards my most dreaded subject—Trigonometry.

"Please open your text books to lesson five dash one. Miss Beckett, please read the introduction." I let my mind drift as the girl read. The teacher, whose name I had already forgotten, was calling my name.

"Miss Swan, please answer the question. Choose the angle measure represented by 4.7 rotations clockwise." I glanced down at my textbook, stumped. Why did this even matter? I quickly scribbled on my paper, multiplying 4.7 and 360, and getting my final answer.

"Um… sixteen ninety two?" Tanya sneered at me before shooting her hand into the air.

"Mr. Turner, I believe Bella has suffered from brain damage. She obviously can't remember her signs. The answer is negative sixteen ninety two." A couple of girl's snickered at her comment, while Tanya's cold glare remained on me. I felt myself blushing—I hadn't even raised my hand, and I wasn't mentally prepared to answer the problem.

"Excellent, Miss Denali." Her sneer became more pronounced, before she whipped her strawberry blonde curls around. What would she look like with more pink in that hair, I thought fleetingly, a smirk crawling onto my lips. I continued plotting throughout the class, only picking up the tail end.

"For homework, page two eighty one, numbers eighteen through thirty six," Mr. Turner directed as the bell rang. I took a mental note to not put off my homework, before scuttling out of the room. I stumbled over my feet, knocking into the door frame. My entire face flushed a brilliant crimson as my forehead started to throb angrily. I tried to rub the pain away to no avail. I rushed through the door, tears stinging the backs of my eyes. Jessica patted me hesitantly on the shoulder, and her eyes were trying to portray comfort. However, Tanya snatched Jessica's hand, dragging her away. She started whispering as soon as I was out of ear shot.

The throbbing in my head was getting worse. I decided that a trip to the nurse's quarters would be a good idea. I pushed the door open, and held in a yelp as déjà vu slapped me in the face. Jacob was sitting in a chair, staring at me. He looked… dazzled, to say the least. I gave him a vacillating smile, one which he returned just as hesitantly. His eyes were still glazed over. I turned towards the nurse, feeling the viral blush creeping up my neck.

"Can I please have an ice pack? I hit my head." My voice cracked twice from the nerves. Why was Jacob staring at me like that? Did he think I liked him as more than a friend? Oh dear, I couldn't lead him on anymore, but I didn't want to hurt him. I decided that if it got to be too much, I would voice my opinion on our relationship. The nurse handed me an ice pack, and directed me to sit down next to Jacob.

"Hey, Bella," he greeted me, his voice frail. Apparently, he hadn't broken out of his daze.

"Hi Jake," I answered while pressing the ice to my forehead. I exhaled in an attempt to calm myself. When that didn't work, I closed my eyes, imagining the sunshine and heat of Phoenix. That just made me miss my mother. When I tried to think of Charlie and Forks, I was immediately reminded of the dreary Riverside campus, hurling all of my problems back at me. I opened my eyes again, frowning. I looked back at Jacob. I wasn't surprised to see him staring back.

"What brings you here, Jake?" I asked him boldly. He held up his hand, which was wrapped in a bandage. I rolled my eyes, suppressing a giggle. "Didn't I tell you to let your partner do the lighting?" He chuckled, shrugging lightly.

"How was I supposed to resist? Fire… it's every adolescent male's dream," he teased, and I let the giggles flow. Jake was so easy for me to be myself around; It was like none of the rest of the world mattered. It was just me, and my best friend. If Edward didn't exist, then maybe I would see Jake in a different light. But Edward did exist, and I was in love with him.

"So, what did you hit your head on?" Jake inquired, pulling me out of my sentiment. I blushed again, not wanting to relay the information. "Come on, Bells. Tell me. I promise I won't laugh…" He trailed off. "Okay, I'll try not to laugh," he corrected himself. I closed my eyes, shifting the ice more comfortable on my forehead.

"I walked into the door frame," I mumbled. I could feel his gaze on me, deliberating. I peek at him from behind my pack, and could see the expression of amusement on his face. He pressed his lips in a tight line, prohibiting laughter from escaping. I rolled my eyes again. "Don't hurt yourself anymore there, buddy. Go on and laugh… come to think of it, it is pretty funny…" I giggled, which set him off.

After a good five minutes, I was breathless and clutching a stitch in my side. I brought up another topic.

"So, you always seem to be in the infirmary when I am. What are you, my stalker or something?" I taunted him. I noticed his russet skin start to darken slightly, before he scoffed.

"Honestly, Bella. I'm not creepy like that. It just that the fates seem to think that pain will bring us together." He shrugged lightly, ending the subject.

"What color is your dress for the ball?" He asked after a few moments of silence. I was taken aback by his question, rendering my voice shaky.

"B-blue?" It came out as more of a question than an answer. He nodded.

"Okay. Today's the twenty ninth, right?" I nodded. "Okay, that gives me time to get everything set. So, are you looking forward to it?" His eyes were twinkling with contagious excitement.

"Of course!" I exclaimed, grinning like a maniac. Jake nodded, a brilliant smile on his face as well. It was then that the nurse came over, checked my forehead, and announced I was fit to leave. I waved goodbye to Jake, who was getting his burn treated… again. I giggled, shaking my head. There was a slight bounce to my step, a drastic change from how I had been walking last. Tanya was all but forgotten.

That is, until I pushed open the doors of the main school building.

My wide set dark eyes stared back at me, my brown hair tied back into a ponytail, a confused smile placed on my face. The picture was set above bolded words.

Please help our mentally disabled children.

**_Bella Swan suffers from brain damage._**

**_Have a heart, and offer a hand._**

Then everything went black.

.:.

"Bella!" The door burst open, and a frightened voice met my ears. It sounded like an angel. "Oh no, Bella, no!" The angel sounded broken. But why? I tried to open my eyes, I tried to part my lips, I tried to twitch my fingers; anything that would assure the angel I was alright."Bella, can you hear me?" I tried again and again to tell the angel I was alright, but the black fog was closing in on me again. "Bella…"

.:.

"Ah, it looks like she's stirring."

"She's going to be alright?" It was the angel again. Cool lips brushed against my cheek, and my pulse quickened in response. A musical chuckle emitted from the angel's mouth, before arms were wrapped around me. "Bella… my Bella," he cooed, his voice filled with adoration. My eyes slowly flickered open, immediately greeting green ones.

"Edward, my angel," I replied with a small smile growing on my face. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of my neck. We stayed like this for a few moments, before my curiosity got the better of me. "What happened?" Edward's beautiful features grew grave.

"Tanya." He hissed, his fists clenching.

"Hey man, calm down." This voice was deeper and husky. What was Jacob still doing here? I groaned inwardly, knowing by the tone of Jacob's voice that this wouldn't end well. Edward possessively pressed his lips to my neck. Jacob scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Give her some space, will you? It looks like you want to suck her blood or something," he sneered.

"And you're so much better? Following her around like a dog… at least I have a reason to be here," Edward retorted hotly.

"I have plenty reason. I'm her best friend. What are you, her worshipper or something?"

"I just happen to be the love of her life." Jacob stared blankly at him, before whipping his gaze around to meet mine. His eyes were pleading, begging me to prove Edward wrong. I didn't say anything. His face fell, and he quickly turned to race out of the room.

"Jacob…" I started weakly, but he was already gone. I turned back to Edward, who looked determined yet somewhat pained. I opened my mouth to say something, but was cut off by a broken hearted howl. A grimace crossed both of our faces, my eyes fluttering shut, trying to wish away the pain Jacob had.

"I should talk to him…" Edward said quietly. I shook my head.

"I should." I stated, opening my eyes again. A nurse bustled over to us.

"Are you feeling better, dearie?" She asked, a kind smile gracing her features. I nodded in agreement with her statement.

"I just fainted, didn't I? What the big deal? People have fainting spells?" Nerves were settling in my lower stomach as I tried to think out what to say to Jacob.

"We were afraid you might get a concussion, but you were lucky. Take it easy, you're excused from classes today." With that, she returned to her desk. I sat bolt upright, and Edward put a hand on my shoulder, chuckling musically.

"Take it easy, love. I'll be waiting for you at your room, okay?" I nodded vigorously, itching to go find Jake. He sighed reluctantly, taking his hand off my shoulder, and shoving it into his pocket. I launched myself off the bed, and out of the room, sprinting towards Seymour, where Jake was hopefully taking refuge.

A few minutes and two stumbles later, I was pounding my fist on the door to room 112. His roommate answered the door, with a huge grin on his face. When he saw it was me, it faltered slightly. I took a deep breath, deciding to keep it simple.

"Quil, who's at the door?" His husky voice sounded broken. Quil looked nervously at me, then back over his shoulder.

"Jake, it's for you…" he said slowly. I heard the mattress creak as Jacob stood up to push Quil out of the way. He frowned at me, his black eyes hardening.

"Where's your bloodsucker love?" He sneered, crossing his arms defiantly over his broad chest.

"Aren't you going to let me in? I need to talk to you," I stated, ignoring his question. Jacob rolled his eyes, moving out of the way so that I could enter his room. It looked like any boy's dorm should—unmade beds, clothes strewn all over the place, and a small television on the sports channel. "Alone?" I threw a pointed glance at Quil. He made a move to exit, but Jacob grabbed his arm.

"Anything you say to me, you can say to Quil," he declared, visibly tightening his grip on his roommate. I rolled my eyes, but began my little speech.

"Jacob, you're my best friend. You should know that. The problem is, Edward didn't know about you being my best friend. Most of the time I have spent with him was while I was unconscious, so I couldn't exactly relay the information to him. There's also the fact that he stayed with me all the time, and I know he would do anything for me, regardless. And I would do the same for him, because I love him…" I trailed off, thinking about my words. Jacob appeared to be doing the same. I loved Edward, but what was that feeling I was getting for Jacob? It certainly wasn't the same thing as my infatuation with Edward, but there was definitely something. What was happening?

"If you love Edward, why are you telling me this?" Each of his words looked as if they were inflicting pain on him. I placed my palm on his shoulder.

"You needed to know. You're my best friend, Jake. And I'm going to the ball with you, aren't I? You and not Edward? Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"That's just it… you're only my best friend. What would happen if I didn't want to be just best friends?" He shot back. Quil was watching us with a wary expression.

"Let's cross that bridge when we reach it," I decided after a few moments of musing. He sighed, and nodded reluctantly.

"I guess I'd rather be friends than nothing at all." I smiled at him, opening my arms for an embrace. Jacob squeezed my torso, forcing all the air out of me.

"Can't… breathe…" I gasped, my eyes bulging. Jacob, laughed, dropping his arms.

"So Bella, what color is your dress? You know, so I can plan things out…" He started, obvious nerves flitting across his face.

"Deep sky blue," I responded, recalling exactly what Alice told Edward.

"Cool. I'll meet you outside your building at seven forty five. That gives us fifteen minutes before the dance starts." I nodded in agreement, before giving him a quick hug.

"I should get back now," I determined, giving Quil and Jacob both a small wave. A dark look crossed Jacob's features, obviously drawing the conclusion that I was going back to Edward. Which was the truth… but I wasn't about to let him know that.

.:.

"BELLA!" Alice screamed, wrapping her tiny arms around me in a death grip. I tried to pry her off me, to no avail. I glanced around my room above her head… Rosalie was sitting on my bed, flipping through one of Skye's magazines, Jasper and Emmett were arguing about who had really won their last Halo game, but the person I sought was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Edward," I demanded, my brow knitting together. Alice sighed deeply, and Rosalie turned to face me with a look of reluctance on her perfect face.

"Lauren captured him. She's extra clingy lately. Tanya is probably using her to get Edward back. Did you know that the lothario that is my brother was never really interested in Tanya? His friends pressured him to go out with her, and he really couldn't back down. Before you came, they basically ruled his life!" She exclaimed, letting out a haughty sigh afterwards. I tensed, my fists clenching together in anger. "There's also the fact that she's telling anyone who will listen that she's going with Edward to the ball." Jasper shot Alice an exasperated look, noticing my growing fury.

"She… stealing… what?" I sputtered, the green monster raging in my veins. Jasper swiftly rose and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. A strange sense of ease washed over me, and I felt my hands unclench.

"Edward keeps saying that he's only going with her to be a gentleman, but not many people believe him. They don't understand how much he has changed in the past two or so weeks. They only know that he missed a week of school because he was in the hospital. But they don't know why, or with whom." I closed my eyes for a second. People doubted Edward. They probably assumed that the track team had forced him into our relationship. But that wasn't true…

Was it?

I opened my eyes again, shuffling over to sit on my bed next to Rosalie. She put a reassuring arm around my shoulder, and pulled me into a side hug.

"None of us doubt Edward really loves you. You don't see the way he looks at you… when did you become divine?" She chuckled at her little joke. I raised my brows, looking over at her like she had serious mental issues. Which reminded me of something…

"Why did Tanya say I had brain damage? That's seriously… low. There are real people out there who are really suffering because of that, and she decides to use it as a tool for my eternal mortification?" I shook my head in disgust.

"Let's just say the cheese fell off her cracker a long time ago," Rose decided, causing all of us to burst into raucous laughter.

"A funny joke and I'm not in on it?" A velvety, indignant voice rang from the door frame. My bronze haired, green eyed Adonis was leaning against the doorframe, his lower lips sticking out in a childish pout. My heart was sent into a frenzy, my lips parting infinitesimally. I vaguely heard Emmett make a remark.

"The joke's on you, man."

"Bella…" Edward was speaking, but I tuned out the moment he said Bella I found myself basking in the glory that was his voice. "Bella… Bella, are you thinking about Anthony and Alison again?" He teased, shaking me gently. When he removed his hand from my shoulder, I frowned and grabbed it again.

"I didn't say you could stop touching me," I complained, placing both of my hands on his one. Emmett guffawed loudly.

"I think that's our cue to leave." He started to tug on Rose's arm, but she resisted.

"Um…" That was all I said. Could I honestly get any more awkward? Yes. But Edward, thankfully, saved me.

"I can touch Bella anytime I want, but I think now we all have plans." My eyes widened in embarrassment, the viral blush returning to claim my cheeks. Edward wasn't my savior after all.

"Edward," I whined quietly, but Alice cut me off.

"What plans?"

"Strip poker? Where shall the game take place?" Alice beamed and clapped her hands together rapidly. I quickly dropped Edward's hand in order to bury my face in my own palms.

"Noooo," I moaned into my hands, shaking my head in denial. "No, no, no!" Someone's fingers were lightly tracing my backbone, toying with the ends of my hair. Their lips made their way to my ear.

"I won't let you lose… or maybe I will," he assured me, his voice more alluring than ever. He tenderly removed my hands from my face, and placed a sweet kiss on my lips. My arms wrapped around his neck on their own accord, pulling him closer. He gently broke my hold, his half smile gracing his perfect lips.

"Stop tempting me, Bella," he scolded me, before emitting a musical chuckle.

"Time to play strip poker!" Emmett announced loudly, ripping Edward away from me.

"Jesus, Emmett! Makes me wonder how Rose doesn't have bruises all over her body after a night with you!" Rose's cheeks turned a brilliant scarlet, a blush almost worthy of me.

"Kids, break it up! Jasper and I have decided that we will be playing by the lake. More explanation there!" She concluded, before bounding out of the room, Jasper gliding along in her wake. Rosalie and Emmett followed after, and Edward slipped his hand into mine. I grabbed my jacket, tossing it over my shoulders, before leading the way out of the room.

.:.

"Okay kids! This is how the game goes. Each hand, there is one winner, obviously. The winner gets to choose one person, and one article of clothing. The person that they choose has to oblige, or else they can't play anymore. The cards are ranked from high to low-- Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. Ace can be high or low, but is usually high. There are four suits; however, no suit is higher than another. All poker hands contain five cards, the highest hand wins.

"We won't be playing with wild cards, so no five of a kind. The highest is a royal flush, which is an ace, a king, a queen, a jack and a ten, all of the same suit. No wrap-arounds, which is basically like a king, an ace, a two, a three, a four and a five. A straight flush comes after a royal flush, which is five cards in order in the same suit. Then there is four of a kind, which is four cards of the same rank, like four fives, or four nines. After that is a full house, which is three of a kind and a pair. For example, three queens and two fours is a full house. After that is a flush, which is four cards of the same suit. Then comes a straight, which is five cards in order, regardless of the suit. Then there's three of a kind, which is three cards of the same rank, like three fives. Then is a two pair, which is two distinct pairs and then another card. The second worst hand is a pair, which is when you have a distinct pair, and then three other cards. If no one has a flush of any kind, four of a kind, a full house, a straight, three of a kind, a two pair or a pair, then there is something called high card. Whoever has the highest card wins the round.

"We also won't play with raises or calls. But if someone folds, which is dropping out of the current hand, that person sacrifices a piece of clothing. Simple enough. Does everyone understand?" Alice prompted after her long explanation. I was still somewhat confused, but I just nodded my head. "Let's play poker!"

The game turned out to be eventful, to say the least. Edward won the first round with a straight flush, and demanded my jacket.

" You started out with one article of clothing more than anyone else, so now it is fair game," he justified. I rolled my eyes, turning my attention to my hand. Another two pair. Emmett hooted when he received a royal flush, holding his hand out to me.

"Your shirt, m'dear," He announced, smirking. Why was everyone ganging up on me? The third round was better for me. I was dealt a straight, but Emmett got another royal flush. This time, it was Rosalie who lost an article of clothing.

And so the game continued. During the seventh round, Alice winked at me before ordering Edward to remove his shirt. My jaw dropped as his pale stomach was revealed to me, as perfect as the rest of him. There was a distinct v shape disappearing into his pants. Head out of the gutter, Bella! I scolded myself. Alice won another few rounds, and as she took Edward's socks, he complained about her using her foresight to… foresee… everyone's moves. She retaliated by telling Edward to use his mind reading 'skills.' But Alice continued to win. The first person to lose was Emmett, during the fourteenth round. He tore off his boxers before sprinting towards the lake, screaming 'Victory!' at the top of his lungs before jumping in. It took everyone else a few minutes to regain focus. My jaw dropped as I was dealt a king of hearts… a jack of hearts… a ten of hearts… a queen of hearts… an ace of hearts! I mimicked Emmett's call of victory, before claiming Alice's shirt—she had only lost her shirt, and if I had taken Edward's last article of clothing, I was not sure if I would be able to resist. The next round, Jasper lost his boxers to Alice, and sauntered over to the lake, slipping in without a word. There were only four of us left, all of us in only undergarments.

"Bella, time for you to strip," Edward announced as he revealed a straight flush. My blush matched the red diamonds on each card. He reached over to help me unclasp my bra, and my eyes widened, my thoughts swirling. I quickly snatched Edward's shirt from the grass, tossing it over my shoulders. I turned around, and quickly unhooked my bra and slipped out of my panties before I raced back towards the building, buttoning Edward's shirt as I went. I swore I heard him moan, then speak to Alice.

"Don't you love how she looks in my clothes?" Alice's bell like laughter rang out to me as I pushed the doors to my building open, the blush gaining in strength. My mind became obsessed with revenge, and as I plopped onto my bed, I decided which would be best to use against them tomorrow.

Or later tonight…

**Author's Note: So I've never played poker in my life, let alone strip poker. I kind of googled it, and hoped for the best. And was the Tanya drama alright, or... dumb...? AHH. There's more Tanya drama next chapter. I would also like to say _Welcome back, Jacob Black._**


	17. Fourteen: Tanya Pt II

**Disclaimer: If you ever thought I was as good a writer as Stephenie, bless your soul. Unfortunately, I'm not her, and therefore, I don't own Twilight -cries-**

**FRK921 IS THE BEST BETA EVER SO MUCHOS GRACIAS!**

**I think you should read this chapter now because... I said so.**

**Chapter 14: Tanya Part II**

I was still sitting on my bed when I heard a light knocking on the door. I leaped up, and bustled over to peek through the eye hole, only to see a mop of bronze hair and brilliant green eyes. He was chuckling with a small pixie like girl._ What were those two up to this time_?

"I'm sick." I faked a cough before plopping onto my mattress.

"Bella, you left your clothes out by the lake." Edward's musical voice reached me. As I reluctantly returned to the door, I heard a loud cackle, and then scurrying footsteps. When I allowed Edward to enter my room, I noticed he was alone.

"What…?" I started, but he answered my unfinished inquiry.

"Tanya went by, and saw that I was holding your clothes, and that mine were disheveled. Alice went after her." There was a smirk creeping across his face. Yes, he was fully clothed, but his hair was standing on end more than usual, and his pants were certainly wrinkled. There was only one conclusion I could draw from this scene…

"No!" I moaned, sinking onto the floor. Edward was immediately next to me, rubbing soothing circles onto my back.

"Love, what's wrong?" I peeked through my fingers to look at his perfect features. They were currently twisted into concern.

"Don't you understand, Edward?" I squeaked, hiding my eyes again. I knew that comprehension hadn't dawned on him yet. "Tanya was under the impression that we had… er…" I paused, searching for a word that wouldn't completely humiliate me. "Well… she thought… we had done the dirty." Edward burst out laughing.

"Done the dirty?" He asked as soon as he was done laughing at me. I felt my cheeks heat up with chagrin. "Are you really that uncomfortable with saying a three letter word?" His chuckles continued, before I tugged him into an upright position. I pushed him roughly to the door. He peered at me over his shoulder as I shoved him through the frame. "Bella, you honestly can't get so angry about innocent teasing, can you?" An innocent pout graced his perfect lips. I rolled my eyes, fighting against my body to take him in my arms and kiss that pout away.

"I'll see you in lunch tomorrow," I informed him in a monotone, before shutting the door in his face.

"Well, I guess you're not invited to our little sleepover in Alice and Rose's room…" I heard the tantalizing tone in his voice, and decided that he was lying. I checked my watch, confirming how many hours I had until I could put my plan into action; only five. I smirked, before returning to my bed, closing my eyes, and ironing out the rest of my details. If this sleepover was real, it would make everything so much easier…

.:.

_Alice Brandon_** (OH MY GOD SURPRISE!)**

I felt a cool breeze on my face. I reluctantly opened my eyes, slowly blinking the sleep out of them. Someone's arms were lightly clinging to my body. Their grip tightened slightly as I rolled over to stare into the person's face. The most perfect male specimen was staring back at me, his crystalline blue eyes an ocean of emotion. I smiled lightly at him, my dark eyes dancing. I silently asked how he slept, and his eyes crinkled slightly, announcing that his dreams had been very pleasant. I giggled quietly, and a grin crept across his lips. Our eyes remained locked for a long while, before a grunt from the other side of the room broke it. Three things happened simultaneously. The door burst open, I shot bolt upright, and Rosalie squealed breathlessly. Everyone turned to stare at my sudden reaction as my eyes darted around the room. I noted that the visitor was Edward, who looked distinctly disheveled. Rosalie had squealed breathlessly because Emmett had rolled onto her in his slumber. But the worst part was our room.

Feathers littered the floor, along with a few lacy articles of clothing. I felt my cheeks heat up; this was a reaction worthy of Bella. Which reminded me of something…

"Edward, where did Bella sleep last night?" I asked immediately.

"Not in here," he grunted as he trudged over to the window to pull back the curtains. "For the love of all that is holy…" he muttered as he took in the sight that was my window. I screeched, staring in horror at the words.

_How much?_

It was obviously referring to strippers. Someone had watched our spectacle last night, and decided to mess around. And I had a very clear idea of who had done it. I made an indignant noise—something between a scream and a moan—before jumping out of bed and storming next door.

_Bella Swan_

I heard a breathless squeal through the thin walls, but it was much too close to be coming from Alice's bed. They obviously hadn't spotted the damage yet. I smirked, waiting to hear the rest.

"Edward, where did Bella sleep last night?" Not in there, I thought maliciously.

"Not in here." Huh. I thought Edward couldn't read my thoughts. Perhaps he just knew me so well… where did he even sleep last night? I was positive that he wasn't in the room with Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose, and I still needed to get him back for making me lose at Poker. I distinctly recalled telling him I would lose, and I was quite sure he said he wouldn't let me. But then again, he probably just wanted to see me naked… the perv, honestly. I suppose I shouldn't be too put off by the idea, I was just afraid that he wouldn't think I was beautiful. Now that I have sufficiently embarrassed myself, why am I even—my brooding was cut off by a loud shriek. Excellent—this meant that Alice had surveyed the damage. Wild laughter bubbled to my lips, and I fought it back. They would hear me laughing. I buried my face in my pillow, but I knew that Edward would be coming over soon to check in on me. Maybe Alice as well.

My door flew open.

"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON? YOU WILL CLEAN THAT MESS UP RIGHT NOW, AND I MEAN RIGHT NOW. OR ELSE!" I couldn't hold it in any longer. I laughed maniacally until my sides hurt.

"Your… reaction… Edward…" I managed to choke out between fits of laughter.

"No kissing Edward unless you clean up this instant!" That sobered me up. It was Alice's turn to smile maliciously at me. "Go, go… Edward will be angry if he can't mack on you every moment." With that, she turned and bounced gracefully out of the room; no doubt to go tell everybody about the consequences. I reluctantly followed, mumbling about the annoying pixie the whole way.

I stumbled on the threshold, and waited for the floor to claim a part of my body. But the impact never came—instead, two more welcome arms encased me.

"I'm glad you're still falling for me." Even though the comment was so egotistical, I couldn't contain the shiver that zipped down my spine at his alluring tone. I turned my face to his, not surprised to find it mere inches from mine. "I love you," he reminded me. I had no chance to respond, as his lips immediately crashed to mine. Emmett wolf whistled. Alice squealed.

"OH BABY!" Emmett called. Edward's lips parted from mine so he could turn to glare at Emmett. I mimicked him. Emmett paled, and Rosalie laughed at him. The rest of us soon joined in. Eventually, someone knocked on the door and demanded that we keep it down. Snickers continued to erupt from my mouth; my lips obviously weren't pressed together tightly enough. Edward walked over to the door to see who had knocked. He groaned—the girl had taken it for a moan. He struggled against her grasp, for when he had peeked through the door, she grabbed him and tried to pull him closer. I rushed over to his side and placed my hand on his shoulder, jerking him back. With the force I exerted, I fell to the floor, with Edward landing on top of me, and Lauren landed on top of him… Lauren? What was she doing here?

"Get the hell off my boyfriend," I seethed breathlessly. "And me," I added, realizing I could hardly breathe with two people on top of me. Edward quickly rolled off, resulting in him lying on top of Lauren. She twirled her grimy hands in his soft hair, and attempted to pull Edward's face closer.

"Lauren, what the--" But his sentence was broken off by Lauren who had pressed her lips to his. A wave of nausea swept over me, and I stumbled to my feet, bolting from the room.

.:.

"Bella?" I heard Alice's soprano voice call out, softer than usual. I leaned my head against the cool porcelain of the toilet seat. "Bella, are you okay? Edward managed to get Lauren off of him; do you want him to come in?" Well, that would be horrible.

"No…" I croaked. "I need a toothbrush and toothpaste please?" I heard Alice rush through the door and off to my room to fulfill my needs. The door opened again sooner than I expected. Footsteps paced towards the stall I had locked myself in five minutes ago. They stopped.

"Bella?" Edward's musical voice was not what I expected. I jumped slightly, knocking my head against the little garbage can on the side of the door. "Bella, love, are you alright?" Concern was laced in his beautiful words. I moaned quietly before the wave of nausea engulfed me again. The stall door burst open, and I felt a cool breeze on the back of my neck. A few moments passed, before I could close my mouth and press my burning cheek against the toilet seat again.

"Bella, I have a bathroom connected to my room. Please come there with me; I don't want you to be here and have someone walk in on you," Edward suggested, and I quickly agreed, clapping my hand over my mouth so I wouldn't vomit all over him halfway through our journey to his dorm.

My hand immediately dropped from my mouth when Edward opened the door to his room. It was a single person suite—sports captain's privileges. The common area of the room consisted of a large black leather couch and a small ebony coffee table. A large flat screen television hung on the opposite wall. There was a cutout in another wall with a counter top, which allowed an easy view into the kitchenette (which consisted of a sink, some maple cabinets, a microwave, a mini fridge and a coffee maker). There was a wood door, and I supposed it lead to the bathroom. I took a final glance around, noticing a sliding door nearby, before pushing the bathroom door open, and situating myself by the toilet.

"Edward, why do we always stay in my room when you have all this space?" I asked after a moment of just staring at the toilet seat. His musical chuckle rang in my ears, and I couldn't help but smile. I felt his fingers trickle down the nape of my neck from where he had been holding my hair.

"There is so much more… action…" He started hesitantly. "Down on the fourth floor there is so much more action," he decided. "With Rosalie and Alice right next door… and Lauren getting flustered…" He chuckled again as I felt the blush raging across my cheeks.

"Wait, Edward. You're supposed to be in school…" I glared at him after my epiphany. He grinned at me sheepishly, but made no move to leave. "Edward, I will not have you fail any, and I repeat, any classes because I'm here puking my guts out." Edward rolled his eyes, moving his hands to hold my hair back from my face as I turned back towards the toilet.

"Hush, Bella," he murmured into my ear, kissing my jaw softly. "Rest, love. I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

"You'll never leave me?"

"Never."

.:.

I slowly opened my eyes to a nauseated feeling in my stomach. I felt someone holding my hair out of my face. A rush of memories hit me at the speed of light. Lauren all over Edward this morning, my getting sick, coming into Edward's suite, and leaning over the toilet (the clearest memory, obviously) with Edward holding my hair out of my face. I heard a musical voice from above me as a cool hand stroked my knotted hair.

"Good evening, love. Are you feeling any better?" Edward asked. Such the gentleman; always concerned about my well being.

"I would feel better if you had gone to school," I retorted, attempting to keep up my usual demeanor. No such luck—my voice was scratchy, and I became worn out by the time I said those ten words. He chuckled, his fingers swiping strands of hair that were sticking to my pale face. I sighed in content, leaning back into his embrace.

Of course, the moment just HAD to be broken by another wave of nausea engulfing me. Edward held my hair again.

"Edward, you don't have to stay here. I can manage on my own… I don't want you to waste your time holding my hair while I vomit," I stated warily. Edward shook his head, pressing his lips together tightly.

"Bella, I'd rather be with you than anywhere else," he replied slowly and sweetly, letting his lips brush gently against my neck.

"Even if I'm regurgitating my insides?" I quipped. Edward sighed deeply.

"Bella, just let it be. I always want to be with you, no matter what." I nodded, not wanting to argue the point any more. "Have some water." He handed me a frosted glass of icy water. I immediately chugged it down, and instantly wanted more. He laughed quietly before taking my glass and walking out towards his mini fridge. When he returned, he resumed holding my hair while I leaned over the toilet seat.

.:.

The next time I woke up, the room was dark. There were soft snores coming from a place right behind me, and I felt the slight pressure on my neck that was Edward's hand. I glanced at the clock on the counter, and read five o'clock. My stomach was no longer full of butterflies, and there was no wave of nausea sweeping over me. Apparently, it only lasted twenty-four hours.

I slipped out of Edward's embrace, smiling softly to myself. I borrowed his toothbrush, hoping he wouldn't mind. I had left mine in the girls bathroom. I wandered to his kitchenette and fixed myself a glass of water. My feet then moved reflexively to the sliding door that led to Edward's bedroom. I lightly placed my hand on the door, marveling at the texture. I pressed lightly on the door before sliding it over. My jaw dropped at the magnificent sight.

The wall opposite the door was made entirely of glass, with black curtains hanging loosely to the sides. I could get a glorious look at the black night. The wall to the right was covered by a CD collection that could give any record store a run for its money. There was an ebony nightstand with a digital clock and a few pictures. But the majority of the room was a colossal bed. The frame was wrought iron with small flowers. Some might have thought that the flowers were feminine, but I thought it was simply romantic. There was a plush golden comforter, which matched a throw rug beneath the bed. A plethora of pillows were scattered across the top of the mattress, which was just begging to be slept in. I crawled to the center of the bed and wrapped my arms around my knees, resting my chin on top. I closed my eyes, still smiling softly, inhaling deeply…

That was how Edward found me an hour later. I could hear him calling my name from the bathroom, panic etched in the velvety folds of his voice. I, however, was too content to move. Eventually, he discovered the open door, and rushed in, taking me in his arms.

"Bella, next time I call your name, answer…" He mock scolded me, but I could hear the mild irritation in his voice.

"Sorry," I squeaked, offering him a small smile. He chuckled, before retorting with a remark I would have expected from him about two weeks ago.

"The next time you see this bed, you won't be wearing much… or anything at all." He winked flirtatiously, before gliding off to his closet to pick out clothes for the day. I noticed my clothes—they were the same as yesterday.

"Hey, Edward? Can I borrow a shirt?" A mound of black material flew towards me, and I picked it up from where it landed on the bed. "Don't come out," I warned as I stripped, before buttoning his shirt. "Okay, I'm decent." Edward emerged from his closet, dressed in a plain red long sleeved shirt and jeans. The sleeves were pushed up past his elbows, giving me a perfect view of his muscular forearms. I felt my mouth start to water as he strode towards me, before plopping next to me on the bed. He quickly tied his shoes, and my eyes glazed over. His eyes found mine, before raking my almost naked body. His mouth opened for a moment, like he was about to say something, but he shut it. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly. I let my arms snake around his torso, and I felt his sweet breath at my ear.

"You are utterly indecent," he disagreed, before kissing my cheek and letting me go; I decided that I didn't want him to jump me this early in the morning, _and_ after I had been sick. I sighed heavily, before trudging out of the room.

I opened the door to my room, rummaging around for a pair of leggings that I could wear. I only discovered red ones, and settled for them. I was fully aware of Edward leaning against the door to my room, but I wasn't paying any attention to him; that was a change. I was too busy trying to find shoes to match my clothes.

Wait, _what_? I was turning into Alice and Rosalie… this was bad. I grabbed those trusty black flats before racing back to Edward, quickly pressing my lips to his. He smiled before wrapping his arms around my waist and dipping me backwards to deepen the kiss. I giggled quietly before pushing gently on his chest.

"Edward, time for education!" I exclaimed, plastering a cheery smile on my face. Edward rolled his eyes, and then pressed his body to mine to resume our kiss.

"There are children in the vicinity." Damn Alice. I broke away from Edward, my brows knitting together. Edward glowered at his sister.

"Are you a child?" he hissed, tightening his grip around me. Jasper ghosted into the room, smiling knowingly. Rosalie and Emmett followed after.

"No, Emmett is." Alice replied, pronouncing each word slowly, like she was explaining how two plus two equaled four to a child. Emmett looked around in confusion.

"What?" he whined. I burst out laughing and was quickly joined by everyone except Emmett. "What?"

"You're whipped," Alice said simply. I pressed my lips together, trying to keep in another fit of giggles.

"Sure, sure," he retorted, rolling his eyes. Rosalie glanced over at me and Edward, who had his arms still wrapped tightly around me.

"Nice shirt, Bella. I'm not even going to ask what you two did last night, because… let's just say I have this intuition…" she trailed off, smirking. Alice took one look at me, before racing out of the room. My eyes widened in horror, and the blush ravaged my cheeks, then the rest of my face.

"Oh god… oh my god…" I mumbled, turning my face into the crook of Edward's neck. I felt his throat vibrate as he laughed quietly.

"You found us out." My mouth opened in surprise as I tilted my head back to look at Edward. His emerald eyes were glinting mischievously, which I found extremely alluring. Damn him.

"BELLA!" Alice screamed when she returned, a thin red belt in one hand, the other latching onto my arm. "Put this around your waist. You're walking with Rosalie and I to the food court and then to classes. No boys. Goodbye." I quickly wrapped the belt around my waist before being tugged me out of Edward's grip and out the door. I managed to mouth help me to him, but he just laughed quietly.

.:.

"So, how was it?" Alice inquired, raising her brows suggestively. I gagged on my coffee.

"Alice, he's your brother!" I exclaimed. She rolled her eyes, while Rosalie watched us intently.

"I'm adopted, Bella." Like that explained everything. "So, how was it?" she continued, leaning forward to heal the epic tale that was Edward and I.

"We didn't do anything. I was throwing up all night," I admitted. Rosalie scoffed.

"Honestly, Bella. Stop trying to get out of telling us the details. We can handle it. We are strong woman," she declared. "Was it seriously that bad?"

"No, if I did that with Edward, it would not be bad, I assure you," I replied with a furious blush. Alice clapped excitedly. "But I haven't done anything physical with him other than kissing, so I wouldn't know for sure. So if you would please excuse me." I stood up, holding my coffee tightly, and stalked towards class. I heard whispers follow me as I progressed through the buildings, but my mind was elsewhere.

In the gutter, to be exact.

English passed by quickly. People hadn't heard about my twenty four hour stomach virus, and were assuming the worse. My mind was too far gone to hear anything they said. Snippets of the lecture Mr. Hall was giving managed to permeate my ears. Mike kept shooting looks at me, and I noticed Jessica watching us in worry. I glued my eyes to my notebook, and idly doodled in the margins.

When the bell rang and I was pulled from my thoughts, I looked down at my paper, only to see five pairs of eyes staring at me. How my hand worked that out, I didn't know. They were very detailed and realistic. Taking a closer look, I realized why that was. They were Edward's eyes. I smiled slightly before shoving the notebook into my bag and walking quickly out of the room. Jessica made an attempt to question me, but I simply shook my head, stating "I don't like him, Jessica."

"Bella!" Alice greeted me when I took my seat in Government.

"Hi there," I replied quietly, taking out my notebook and continuing with my doodles.

"Wow," she exclaimed, looking over my shoulder at Edward's eyes. "Those are… fantastic. Have you ever considered going into art? You could be in my class… actually, that's a lie. But art is fun!" I looked at her quickly, confused. "Oh, I never told you, did I? I'm in the fashion design course—I take art lessons on drawing figures. It's really fun. I want to be a designer one day," she explained, drawing herself up proudly.

"And I'll be the first to purchase your clothes," I assured her with a grin. Alice giggled, and I raised my brow, allowing her to elaborate.

"You'll have to fight Rosalie for the top spot," she said, turning her attention to the front board. I sighed deeply, resting my chin on my hand.

.:.

I always hated math, but this was just over the top.

I walked into my Trig classroom with Alice by my side. She had just told me about all of Emmett's antics throughout the past year. They were highly amusing, and I found it difficult to stop laughing. Unfortunately, there were only two seats left open in the classroom, and neither was next to each other. I discovered Tanya and Lauren in our usual seats, with Jessica sitting awkwardly next to Lauren. There was an empty spot next to a kid named Kyle, and another next to… Tanya. Typical.

"Cullen, next to Hargrove, Swan, next to Denali," Mr. Turner barked. I immediately, and grudgingly, obliged, ignoring the menacing looks Tanya was giving me.

It took her all of fifteen minutes to pounce.

"So, when's the baby due?" she sneered. I looked questioningly at her. "Don't play dumb. Everyone knows about you and Edward. Lauren saw you tousle haired, and he was carrying your clothes. How does it feel to know that soon, there will be a true bastard in your life?" I clenched my fists, trying desperately to not slap her to the next millennium. "How much did you pay him to jump you?" I still refused to look at her. Be the better person, be the better person, I chanted in my head. "Hey, Bella?" she continued, completely oblivious. Be the better person. It was becoming my mantra. "Have you ever wondered why Edward would choose you over some other girl? Someone like… Skye, maybe? She is much prettier than you, and has a much better personality. What if she pulls one over on you? Edward leaves you to go comfort the girl who got cheated on. Boo hoo." She was obiously trying to get a rise out of me, and it worked. I turned slowly to face her, cold fury in my eyes. She raised a brow as if to say 'do your worst', so I did.

I knocked over my chair in my haste to claw her icy eyes out, to leave bruises over every inch of her body, to make her beg for mercy. I managed to let a few well positioned punches make contact with Tanya's gut, arm and cheek. I didn't notice the entire class turning to look at us in awe, I was too distracted.

"Take your top off!" someone yelled. I didn't listen to the horny boy, but continued trying to damage every inch of flesh that was Tanya Denali.

"MISS SWAN, MISS DENALI, PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE! NOW!" I growled at Tanya, who stared at me with wide, terrified eyes. I swept past Alice, who was beaming proudly at me, and out of the room.

Hopefully, Edward wouldn't hate me for trying (and succeeding) to beat the crap out of his ex girlfriend. Maybe he would like me even better and I would be able to fulfill some of those fantasies I was having during English class…

**Author's Note: That brings us to the end of another chapter. I'm sorry for being slow at updating, I had... problems... with this chapter. Oh, oh, I have a five day weekend coming up (VICTORY) so chapter 15 will be up sooner!**

**I LOVE YOU. IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU'LL REVIEW :)**


	18. Fifteen: Expedition

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in Twilight, nor will I ever. Unfortunate, this is.**

**Author's Note: So lately, I've been doing some thinking. And I decided that Prep shouldn't really be rated T, because when I looked at the descriptions of the ratings, this is what T said:**

_Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

**And then I scrolled to M:**

_Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with possible strong but non-explicit adult themes, references to violence, and strong coarse language. _

**Prep only falls in the _possible strong but non-explicit adult themes_ category, and I don't plan on detailing anything further than their kisses and perhaps some stripteases. For now, I'll just put an M at the top of the chapter if it has either of those two... things.**

**Although Prep should be rated M just in case, I'm not going to change the actual rating for the story. The main reason for this is that I'm selfish-- if you haven't noticed this, the archives automatically go to ratings K-T. I want more readers :) But I will put in the summary _Rated M for future chapters- NO LEMONS_ cause I don't roll that way. No lemons.**

**OKAY NOW YOU CAN READ**

**Thank you FRK921 for beta...ing this story! YAY**

**Chapter 15: Expedition**

"Ew, Bella, stop looking like that," Tanya groaned. "You look like you're enjoying a sexual fantasy… probably reliving last night, because it's the only time you'll get it." She snickered, and I simply rolled my eyes, trying to ignore her. She scoffed, not giving up. "At least Edward went to me willingly." I picked up my stride, desperate to be away from her. Tanya could tell that she struck a nerve, and let everything settle. There was something off in her voice, but I couldn't exactly place what it was.

I pushed open the wooden door that led to the office, and strode with what I hoped to be confidence up to the front desk. My eyes glued themselves to the desk that split the office in half. I heard Tanya shuffle in behind me, and heave a great sigh.

"Miss Swan, Miss Denali." Mrs. Glass looked at each of us as she said our names. I nodded slightly in acknowledgement. Tanya sighed again, and I whirled around to glare at her. But as soon as my eyes made contact with her face, I felt a pang of guilt. Her cheek was cut open slightly—I had forgotten about the ring I always wore that my mother gave me three years ago. It was a silver claddagh ring with a sapphire heart. It was currently on my right hand with the heart pointing outwards—the hand I had used to punch Tanya. I looked from my hand to her cheek, then back again, my eyes and mouth both wide open in horror. I made a mental note to change the position of my ring.

Tanya was pressing her fingers lightly to her swollen cheek, wincing. I winced as well; it was like feeling her pain. I took a hesitant step towards her, and Tanya's eyes widened in… fear? No, that couldn't be right. Her lips curled downwards in a frown, her brows furrowing. I stopped in my tracks, and turned around. I heard Tanya exhale in relief behind me. I tried not to pay attention.

"Into the Headmaster's office," Mrs. Glass ordered, directing us to a plain wooden door to the left of the desk. Tanya brushed past me through the door, and was already seated in one of the wooden chairs when I entered after her. I looked guiltily from her to the Headmaster, who was glaring at me. I immediately sat down in the seat next to Tanya, blushing deeply.

"Girls," Headmaster Alistair greeted coldly. "You do know why you are here. Explain yourselves," he demanded. I opened my mouth to speak, but Tanya beat me to it.

"I was just talking to Bella, and all of a sudden, she starts punching me!" she exclaimed, tears dripping out of her eyes. The headmaster waited for her to continue, but she never did. He turned to me instead.

"Miss Swan, what is your side of the story?" I sighed, glancing at Tanya—who had a hand on her cut cheek—then returned my attention to the Headmaster.

"I walked into my math class, laughing, because Alice was telling me a funny story. There were only two seats left, and I had to take the one next to Tanya," I recalled, replaying the event in my mind. "After about fifteen minutes, she asked me when the baby was due." I turned my head to glare at Tanya, who was blushing. "First off, I've never had sex in my life, and second, you have no right to intrude on my life like that," I snapped, looking back at Headmaster Alistair. His facial features were impassive, and he waited for me to go on. "She asked me how much he cost. It took all of my energy not to slap her. But when she told me that Edward could get any girl he wanted, and didn't know why he chose me. She told me he was going to leave me. Then, I snapped," I finished simply, my fists clenching again. He nodded slowly, looking from Tanya to myself.

"Girls, this behavior is intolerable at Riverside. You should both know that there is a three strike rule here. Consider this your first strike. You are both suspended for five school days. You are excused." Suspended? For five days? I felt the color drain out of my face. I had never before gotten in trouble, let alone suspended. I stood up abruptly, and walked swiftly out of the room. I managed to make it out the doors before the tears came.

The salty water coursed like a river down my cheeks without my permission. I angrily wiped them away, quickening my pace. I pushed open the glass doors to my building, oblivious to Ryan's concerned stare. I jabbed the button for the elevator, and waited impatiently for the contraption to arrive. I slid through the half open doors, pressing the button for level four repeatedly. The elevator moved slower than I could have ever imagined. A small ding resounded throughout the metallic chamber, and I rushed out of the doors, down the hall and into my room. I slammed the door behind me and collapsed on my bed, succumbing to my tears.

.:.

I must have fallen asleep sometime during my sob fest, because the next thing I knew, I was adapting to my surroundings. There were voices; my body immediately tensed. I wasn't generally a violent person, but today, I was on edge. The noises sounded unfamiliar, but they were unfocused, vague. I wouldn't have been able to place the language they were speaking, but I naturally assumed English. Everything was so hazy; as soon as I realized this, my senses sharpened, and a strange sensation came over me. It felt like everything was rushing towards me at a thousand miles an hour, but I knew I was stationary. Vertigo. My mind put a name to something I had never experience. That had never happened before.

But now, the voices were clear. One was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard, and the other was comforting… it reminded me of home. But something was off about these familiar voices; they seemed too concerned.

"There is nothing wrong with her," one said, though he didn't seem to believe himself.

"All the same, we should get her to the infirmary," the other argued, sounding strained. He sounded like an angel; the angel shouldn't be strained.

"What even happened?" the first mumbled, and I felt a warm hand being placed on my forehead.

"I don't know," the second mused. I felt another hand, cooler this time, trace my eyelids. "Ask Alice." I finally recognized the angel's voice. My eyes opened, stinging slightly. The angel's face loomed above me, looking as glorious as ever. His green eyes were glinting with euphoria, and his bronze hair seemed to quiver in excitement. I almost laughed at his exuberant expression, but my lips were busy at the moment.

"Get a room," complained the second voice, scoffing in disgust. I felt a growl rumble deep in my angel's chest, and I lightly pressed my palm to it, trying to muffle the sound.

"Edward, don't," I mumbled, almost inaudibly. Edward sighed, and grudgingly obliged. I turned towards the other person, and smiled when I recognized the tall form of Jacob Black. "Hey, Jake!" I greeted him, attempting the same cheeriness Edward had recently unleashed on me. However, I failed—rather miserably. Jacob offered me a forced smile, which looked more like a grimace, before he bolted from the room. I watched him curiously.

"Wonder what that was all about," I reflected aloud, receiving only a shrug as an answer from Edward. I turned to look back at him, and saw a fierce battle raging in his eyes.

It truly frightened me.

I instinctively shied away from him, but part of my brain itched to know the problem. He was glaring at the door, his jaw set and his lips pressed in a tight line. His brow was furrowed in obvious distaste. For a few moments, all was still and silent. Finally, his harsh gaze softened, and he turned to face me.

"I'm sorry you're plagued with that… with that… dog." He spit out the final word venomously. I watched him incredulously.

"Jacob is my friend," I squeaked, looking away from Edward. The fury had returned.

"He's no good," he hissed. I flinched. After all I had been through today, I didn't need to be lectured on who my friends were.

"Edward, I can choose my own friends," I declared with more strength than before. He snorted, and I glared at him. "Jacob has been my friend for ages. Butt out." He laughed cruelly, and I flinched again. Where was all of this coldness coming from? The Edward I had grown to love-- very quickly, might I add-- never acted this way.

And then it clicked.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, are you… jealous?" I asked, completely bewildered. I turned back to him, all pretenses lost. I wanted to find out what the hell that whole ordeal was about. Edward looked slightly flustered, and ran his fingers through his bronze hair. I wanted to knock his hand out of the way and feel the bronze silk for myself, but I decided that would not help me get the answers I so desired. He raked his fingers through the bronze mess atop his head once, twice, three times. I waited eagerly for him to confirm or deny my suspicions. He glanced quickly at me, his emerald gaze locking on my boring brown, and I swore I saw a hint of pink flash across his cheekbones.

I would have to make this god flustered more often.

"Well…" he started hesitantly. "I wouldn't necessarily call it jealousy…" he hedged, quickly averting his gaze. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Lies," I replied simply. "You're jealous, Edward." I appraised him, smirking when his blush justified my supposition. I noticed his legs folded Indian style next to me, his hands clasped together on his lap. My smirk grew more pronounced as I sat up in bed, and knelt in front of him, resting my hands on his knees.

"You know what I think about jealousy, Edward?" I purred in what I hoped to be a seductive voice. To be honest, I thought I sounded a bit like Lauren; but Edward gulped audibly.

"Why aren't you in class?" he asked quickly, trying to deter the inevitable—his confession of jealousy. I would answer that later. I leaned in closer to him, so our noses just touched. My eyes connected with his viridescent gaze, and I spotted the flecks of gold immediately. I tilted my chin slightly so that my lips just brushed against his.

"I think you look very, very cute when you're jealous," I breathed against his lips. His hands unfolded from his lap, and found their way to my body—one on my back, and one in my hair.

"I love you," he reminded me, before pressing his lips to mine. They moved together in a mix of love and lust, with a touch of urgency; it was as if he couldn't get enough of me fast enough. My hands immediately moved to the back of his head, tangling in his bronze locks, and pulled him closer to me. I felt his cool hands cup my bottom, before he lifted me onto his lap. He tilted his chin upwards, and mine automatically moved downwards, both intending to deepen the kiss. His fingers played with the hem of my shirt-- which was actually his— but didn't make a move to remove it. For this, I was grateful—if I let Edward get too far, I would certainly not be able to push him off. Not that I particularly wanted to, but I wanted to protect my virtue. His tongue trailed along my lower lip, and I instantly granted his wish. Our tongues danced in harmony for a few heated minutes. Oxygen seemed to not be an issue. When Edward separated his lips from mine, I missed his touch immediately. I trailed my nose along his jaw, desperate for the connection. He chuckled throatily, his fingers running through my hair.

"Aren't you going to answer my question?" Question? What question? I quickly flipped through all of my memories of the past few minutes, but everything was tainted with that passionate kiss. "Why weren't you in class?" He puckered a perfectly shaped eyebrow, one side of his lips curling upwards into that crooked smile of his. Any resistance that I had unconsciously been building up against this question melted with that smile.

"I was suspended for beating the crap out of Tanya," I confessed to the skin of his neck. He chuckled, seemingly amused. He placed a finger under my chin, and gently tilted it upwards so my eyes could meet his again. I blushed slightly; the humor was clear in his dancing green eyes.

"Bella, Bella, Bella..." he murmured, closing his eyes for a moment. He shook his head, the half smile still gracing his full lips. "You make everything so difficult for me… I want to spend every moment with you. I want to skip my classes so I can keep you company. I want to skip track practice to keep you entertained. I want to have you curl up in my arms every night so I can hum you to sleep. I have done everything that I wanted, but I want to do it again. And each time I do one of these things, the… need… to be near you increases. I've skipped classes; though they are so easy for me, I cannot complete the homework as I don't know what it is. I can catch up easily, but it takes away from the time I can spend with you. I've skipped track practice—which is every day—and coach threatened to withdraw my captaincy if I didn't get my act together." I opened my mouth to protest. Why was he risking his place at this school for me? But he pressed on, placing a single slender finger to my mouth to silence me. "I've had you curl up in my arms to sleep, only to be awoken by an unwanted interruption." Such as nightmares or vomiting. He watched me for a moment, waiting for me to say something. I couldn't find words to describe my current feelings. "I can't do that anymore, Bella. I love you, but I can't." Well, that was a relief.

"I don't want you to risk everything just to keep me company," I started quietly. "I have friends, you know," I teased, attempting to brighten the mood slightly. He chuckled, and I smiled victoriously.

"I still don't want you hanging out with Jacob," he cautioned, before placing a chaste kiss on my lips. My faltered slightly. I sighed deeply before responding.

"Edward, you can't control who my friends are." He was shaking his head before I finished. "Don't you realize that I love you, and only you? Sure, Jacob is like my brother, but you're my soul mate." His lips pressed were on mine again, and my back arched slightly, pressing myself closer. He carefully lowered me to the bed, rolling onto his side. He shifted away from me slightly, so he wouldn't be tempted to make love to me right now.

Abstinence… I reminded myself warily. What was even the point? I love Edward, and I always will. Why wait?

.:.

January flowed into February, which brought frostier weather. Snow was falling more frequently, blanketing the campus in a sheet of white. Snowball fights were prevalent, and during my suspension, I generally remained in my dorm room.

I was thankful that Edward went to school and practice instead of visiting me, but it got quite lonely during the day. Alice and Rosalie sometimes tried to get me out of my room, but I refused to leave campus. Shopping was out. Emmett and Jasper helped a lot, with Emmett's obvious humor and Jasper's strange empathy. But they weren't around as often—they had to train for the upcoming baseball season. I thought that Edward played baseball as well—he showed interest in it-- but he continued with track year round.

There was a little less than two weeks before the fourteenth. Jacob visited me whenever Alice, Rosalie, Emmett or Jasper weren't around. We rarely talked about the upcoming dance, instead choosing to focus on the many years that passed without acquaintance.

It was one such day when my dorm door burst open. Jacob was sitting on my bed, telling me about his father's crippled condition, rendering him incapable of walking and driving. I was laughing loudly when he told me about Billy racing down the hills, going thirty miles an hour at max. Edward chose this moment to enter the room, and glare at the both of us. Jake stopped talking immediately, and met Edward's cold glare. I turned to stare at him.

"Edward," I said quietly, my voice strained. His eyes didn't stray from Jacob's, and he only tilted his chin slightly in my direction. "Edward, don't. Just let it go," I pleaded, standing up and walking over to him. I lightly traced the perfect contours of his chest.

He still didn't look at me.

"I'll see you later, Bella." Jacob's words were slightly rushed, and had an icy edge to them. He pushed past Edward and I, and Edward watched him leave. I groaned in frustration, and leaned my forehead against his strong chest. His arms wrapped protectively around me, and I sighed.

"Edward, why did you scare him off?" I demanded in a low voice. Edward paused—I imagined him rolling his eyes. Then he pressed his lips to my hair. "He's my friend."

"Bella, I've told you before, and I'll tell you again, he's no good," he growled into my brown locks. I shook my head slightly, and pushed him away.

"And I've told you before, and I'll tell you again, you can't control who my friends are. I'll never love Jake like I've loved you. Case closed." With that, I made my exit to Alice and Rosalie's room.

.:.

Five days… five very long days…later, I was searching through my closet for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. There was a scuffling outside the door, followed by an excited squeal. Alice, I thought with a grimace. The door flew open, revealing my pixie like best friend, along with her trusty comrade, the blonde bombshell. I chuckled to myself at the corny announcement.

"Hey there," I greeted them before turning back to scrounging through my closet. Alice huffed indignantly, and scurried over to my side. I heard Rosalie sigh, and I imagined her shaking her head, disgraced by her roommate and best friend. I glanced back at Rosalie, but my gaze caught on Alice's horrified stare. "What…?" I asked slowly, feeling scared. Her gaze flickered from me, to my closet.

"Rose…" she started, taking a deep breath. "Emergency shopping expedition." She snatched my arm and dragged me halfway to the door before I realized what was going on. I tried to rip my arm out of her grip, but I failed. Miserably.

"No, Bella. Alice, we're taking my car. I just fixed up my engine, and I want to see how it rolls. But only… three shops today. At the most," Rosalie decided, taking my other hand. They pulled me out to a bright red convertible. "BMW M3 convertible, complete with a retractable hard roof, M series gills and matching chrome plated steel exhaust pipes. Got a six speed transmission and a V8 hard rev engine. It slices effortlessly through air with its intelligent aerodynamics," she noted lovingly. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't speak car and driver," I reminded her. Rosalie laughed loudly before stepping into her ostentatious car.

.:.

"I am not getting those! It's the middle of winter!" I exclaimed indignantly, glaring at the offending shoes. They were gladiator style sandals, buckling halfway up my calf. They had a strange python like pattern on the leather. I honestly thought they were hideous.

"Bella, fashion doesn't wait for the change of weather!" Alice exclaimed, shoving the sandals my way.

"I don't like them," I shot back, turning away and crossing my arms. Alice huffed, and turned to find another pair. These ones also had no heel, but only one strap around the ankle. There were two skinny straps across the foot, and a line of chunky crystals creating a t-strap.

"Stuart Weizman Appetize," Alice explained with a smile at my struck features. She forced the shoes in my direction, and I held them in silence. After a few minutes, Alice summoned me. I ambled over to her, still gazing at the shoes. It was strange, how some material items I grew attached to. She shoved two pairs of shoes in my face. One pair was close toed, and cobalt satin. The heel was… slender and high, there was no other way to explain it. I would break my neck. There was also a crystal brooch on the front. The pumps were pretty, but I couldn't pull them off. I shook my head slightly, turning my attention to the next pair. These were sandals, but the heel on them was also long and thin. There were two straps curving around each other to form a figure eight on the top, with two criss-crossing silver straps keeping the front part of the foot in. There was one more strap, this one slinging around the heel. The entire shoe was embossed with crystals, excluding the metallic silver heel. My jaw dropped in awe. Yes, the shoes were very beautiful, but where would I wear them? How would I walk in them? Most importantly, how would I pay for them?

Alice noticed my look of longing, and with a smirk, picked the shoe out of my hand, as well as the sandals I was holding. She tossed a pair of patent black flats with a cinch back and a gold medallion on the front in her arms as well. She loped gracefully towards the cash register, and had her card ready before I could move.

"Alice, no!" I called, rushing over to her. Alice rolled her eyes before handing the small piece of plastic to the saleswoman.

"Rose, you done?" Rosalie appeared next to the pixie, nodding. She held up a bag, which I assumed was full of shoes. Alice smiled brightly. "You picked out some for me too, right?" Another nod from Rosalie confirmed her assumption. "Excellent. I was a little busy with Bella. Now, we're off!" She exclaimed, snatching the bag that the saleswoman was pushing towards her. I grudgingly followed them to the next store.

Rosalie squealed in excitement, and scurried over to a rack. I widened my eyes—this was a reaction I could expect from Alice, not Rose. I followed her, curious to find out what excited her.

"Bella! Try this on now!" She shoved a light colored dress towards me. I shuffled towards the dressing room mumbling curses under my breath. Once I closed the door and locked it, I took a look at the dress. It wasn't very simple, but it looked as if it would suit me all the same. It was a short light silver bubble dress with shimmering cut out trim. It had a silver sash that would tie just under my chest. I stripped down to my underwear, and pulled the dress over my head, tying it quickly behind my back. It touched just above my knees. I exited the dressing room, looking around for Alice and Rose. I spotted them chattering in front of a mirror, each clad in a dress as well. I didn't realize it had taken me so long to change. Alice was wearing a spaghetti strap sequin dress which flowed around the torso before tightening at the legs. Rose sported a bright strapless bubble dress with a black sequin embellished empire waist. I sighed longingly at them, wishing I looked even half as beautiful.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed, her eyes bulging in the mirror as she took in my form. Rosalie whipped around to gaze at me with an open mouth. "You're a vision!"

"If I look like a vision, then you two are goddesses," I muttered. Not that this statement was unordinary—it was just clearer now than ever before.

"Well, it just so happens I bought these great pumps that will go with that dress," Rosalie noted, smirking widely. My eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"This is a joke, right?" I looked to them for confirmation. "It's a sick joke! You're spending thousands of dollars on me! Alice already bought me shoes!" I whined, looking frantically between both of them. I half expected them to start laughing, and end the prank.

That didn't happen.

Rosalie paid for my dress this time, much to my dismay. I argued with her for a good five minutes as we walked to our final destination.

"No," I stated firmly the moment I saw it. I refused to go into Victoria's Secret—knowing them, they would use it as an excuse to buy me something utterly indecent. They allowed me to browse through the Pink section of the store. I traced my fingers along the sleeve of the University of Texas one, where my mother had gone to college. I sighed, a wave of homesickness rushing over me. I tugged the sweatshirt off the rack, and trudged over to Rosalie and Alice. They were, as I predicted, looking through the lingerie.

"A sweatshirt?!" Alice cried in outrage as I showed her the purchase I wanted to make. I nodded silently. "I'll make you a deal. We let you get that sweatshirt, but you have to get…" She paused searching through the piles of lace. Rosalie pointed one out, and Alice held it up to me. "This."

"What's the point of getting that if I'm not going to show it off for anyone?" I challenged. Rosalie raised a brow, and Alice laughed. Loudly.

"Now that is a joke," Rosalie noted, smirking at me. I just stared at her, before it dawned on me.

"Edward and I are not having sex," I explained quickly, as my cheeks were stained a dark red.

"Maybe not yet, but someday; you know it's going to happen sooner rather than later." She winked, taking the offending object out of my sight. My thoughts strayed back to the gutter, where they had been earlier this week.

What would Edward think if I came prancing into his room wearing that? It was a black bra with a pink ruffle on the top, and pink stitching down the middle, completed with a tiny pink button between the two cups. The bottom part was a black thong with the same pink ruffles along the top edge. It was covered with a very short black skirt with little ribbons hanging off of it at intervals. To top it all off, a black garter belt with pink stitched into it was looped around the top of the hangar.

I meandered over to the register, where Alice was paying for the purchases this round. I picked up a light blue satin baby doll, which looked too big for her.

"Alice, I think you picked up the wrong size." Alice concentrated on handing the woman the card. After the card was returned, she grinned mischievously.

"They're for you. As are those." She motioned to the grey tank top and pink knit boxies that the woman was packing into a pink bag. I clenched my jaw, not wanting to rip the little pixie's hair out. I would regret that later.

Well, at least all of my purchases had crotches. I wasn't so sure about Alice and Rosalie though.

.:.

Three pairs of jeans, two pairs of trousers, five tops, one jacket, one velour track suit, one sweatshirt, two embarrassing ensembles, one new set of pajamas, two pairs of shoes and many complaints later, Rosalie tossed our shopping bags into the trunk of her car, and then clambered into the front seat.

"I can't believe how much we got out of three shops!" There was absolutely no way that four hours on a Sunday evening could be spent in three stores.

"Impossible," I murmured, staring at the trees whizzing by. My thoughts trailed back to Edward, and what he was doing now. "Alice, can I borrow your phone?" I asked quickly. She handed it over to me without inquiry. A devilish look crossed my face as I dialed the number that was permanently imprinted in my brain.

"Hello?" The musical voice chimed, almost robotically. I nearly melted in my seat at the sound of his voice.

"Hey Edward," I purred seductively into the phone.

"Bella? Where are you? Are you with Alice and Rosalie? Where did you go? Are you drunk?" I started to giggle uncontrollably—probably where Edward got the drunken indication. I sighed, composing myself.

"Edward, I am not drunk. Rose and Alice brought me on a shopping voyage so I would look good for my return to school tomorrow. You know how they are; they have to dress up the delinquents." Edward laughed, and I swooned on the spot.

"Bella? Bella, are you still there?" His voice sounded worried now. I must have been in my stupor longer than I thought.

"Edward? Bella just swooned at the thought of you, no big deal!" Rosalie called from the front seat. Edward, with his uncanny senses, must have heard her, for he laughed again. I furrowed my brows, and tightened my grip on her phone.

"How are you? What did you do today?" I shot at him, trying to avert the subject from the embarrassment I brought upon myself.

"I just ran a few laps around the track," Edward replied lazily. I waited for a moment before asking my next question.

"How many is a few?"

"Oh, you know, fifteen. No big deal," he responded, mimicking Rosalie. I laughed quietly. We continued our pointless banter until Rosalie pulled into a parking spot, and Alice demanded that I return her phone.

"Well, we're back. I'll see you in a few minutes," I alerted Edward.

"Okay, Emmett and Jasper are in my room, as well as some other guys from the track and baseball teams. I love you," he reminded me.

"I know. Love you too." I snapped the phone shut. "They're in Edward's room," I informed them before handing the phone back to the raven haired sprite. She was smiling brightly at me. "What?" I asked innocently, opening the car door. I loped to the trunk, taking out my bags. I waited for Rosalie and Alice—who was still giving me that brilliant, knowing smile—before returning to the dorm building.

Ryan waved at us from behind the desk, gazing intently at me. I smiled shyly back, before calling the elevator. Alice was still smiling, but Rosalie turned to glare at Ryan, whose face turned pale.

"Rosalie, stop being mean to him," I hissed as the elevator doors closed, separating Ryan from us. She rolled her eyes, and jabbed the button that led to Edward's floor.

"You love Edward!" Alice burst out excitedly. Rosalie and I exchanged confused glances. Alice definitely already knew that I love him.

"Yes. And…?" Alice raised a brow curiously. "You already knew that I love Edward," I prompted her slowly. She simply nodded, but the knowing smirk was still on her face. Moments later, the elevator doors slid open, and I led the way to Edward's suite. He was sitting on the dark leather couch, his eyes glued to the flat screen. Emmett and Jasper sat on either side of him, leaning closer towards the TV. There were three other boys and one girl, also watching the screen intently. I flicked my gaze to the screen as well, noting that they were watching a rerun of this year's Super Bowl, which had happened two weeks ago. I sighed, shaking my head slightly, before making a beeline to Edward. I plopped gracelessly on his lap, nearly toppling off. He caught me, chuckling musically again.

"Still falling for me," he remarked, and then captured my lips with a sweet kiss. My body responded immediately—my fingers reached up and knotted in his hair, pulling him closer. He tightened his arms around my waist, trailing his tongue along my bottom lip. I willingly parted my lips for him, letting our tongues dance together.

"You know," one of the boys said loudly, interrupting our heated little time bubble. I glared at the boy. He had brown hair and brown eyes, along with a small diamond stud in each earlobe. He grinned sheepishly at me.

"You shouldn't interrupt important things like this…" I trailed off, not knowing his name. He picked up on my intentions.

"Mark," he supplied.

"Mark. You shouldn't interrupt my time with my boyfriend," I scolded him.

"How about we make a deal. I don't interrupt you again, if you don't interrupt me and Meg." I nodded slightly before turning to look at the rest of the boys. Emmett hastened to introduce each one of them.

"Marky Mark here is on the football team with us. His girlfriend, Meghan. She's your age." He indicated to a pretty girl with very long, thick light brown hair, and hazel eyes. She smiled slightly at us, cuddling deeper into Mark's chest. "There's Tyler from the baseball team," he pointed to a tan boy with chin length dark hair and grey eyes. "And finally, we have Ian. I don't know what team he's on…" Ian had a long frame, and I guessed he was about the same height as Edward. He had short light brown hair, brilliant blue eyes, and skin tanner than Tyler's.

"I'm on the track team with Edward." Ian shot a grin at his teammate, which Edward returned without hesitation. I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep inhale of Edward's delicious scent.

"Everyone is a senior… except for you guys, Meghan and… Tyler. Youngins," Emmett continued, mumbling the last part. But everyone heard him, and exploded into laughter. Tyler sighed, stretching out along the floor.

"I have something to share with you all," he reported languidly. We waited for him to continue. "You know what's like math?" he inquired of us all. Our heads shook no in unison. "Sex is like math: you add the bed, subtract the clothes, divide the legs and hope you don't multiply!" he exclaimed, bursting into laughter. I stared at Tyler with wide eyes, and I was well aware that I wasn't the only one. I felt Edward shift under me, and his breath was suddenly tickling my ear.

"Want me to teach you some math?" he asked me. Courage rushed to my aid as I turned to him.

"Maybe later," I responded airily, giving him a seductive smile and a suggestive wink. His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly, then closed again, like he was a fish. Absolutely priceless... I thought as I turned my attention back to everyone around me. My actions had gone unnoticed by everyone except Edward, thankfully.

**Author's Note: Yay, another chapter done! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! Sorry I didn't get this out sooner... I swear I have an explanation. I typed a few pages, and then forgot to save. FUSTRATED, THAT IS WHAT I BECAME. Wait, I spelled that wrong.**

**Frusturated. Such a weird word.**

**Oh, and by the way, everything that is described is on that link on my author's profile thingy.**

**Anyways, please review: it motivates me to write faster :)**


	19. Sixteen: Disorder

**Disclaimer: I'm still not Stephenie Meyer... but I am Bella! Just... a different Bella than the one described here. I'm Annabella. She's Isabella...**

**Author's Note: This chapter is... different. It's not the same kind of fluff as before-- it gets deep, and you'll know the reason for the change soon enough.**

**THANK YOU FRK921 AGAIN AGAIN FOR BETAING THIS STORY! I demand that you bow down to her, not me. She's the reason that this story is actually pretty good -smiles angelically-**

**Chapter 16: Disorder (M)f**

As it turned out, there was a reason for the shopping trip Alice and Rosalie had dragged me on; a reason other than complete and utter humiliation on my part, of course. Edward was the one who enlightened me.

"There's a party on Friday." It was Tuesday, the day before I returned to school. There were sure to be rumors circling the student body, and tomorrow, I planned to stamp them out. When Edward reported the news of the party, I moaned loudly. I was seriously hoping this would not be a repeat of three weeks ago. Had it only been three weeks? Three weeks since my life had been changed, for the better, forever?

If Edward could make me feel this way in weeks, I wanted to know what would happen in years. Months, even. I smiled at the thought—I knew that Edward was the one I would spend the rest of my life with. It was a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, something I could be completely sure of. Like a strange taste of Alice's gift of premonition, I knew I would be happy, no matter what obstacles were. In the end, everything would be alright.

But that didn't mean I was all for having Lauren hitting on my boyfriend. Or should I call him my soul mate? My feelings for Edward were much stronger than just plain love; it was more than just a simple, breakable word. My mother and father had mistaken lust for love, leading to one year of bliss before falling apart. But I knew I was different, because I didn't want Edward only for his body. I wanted to wake up to his flawless face in the morning, and hear his velvety voice welcome me back to consciousness. I wanted to have his shoulder to cry on, and I wanted to offer the same to him. I wanted him to whisper three sweet words in my ear; a simple _I love you_ from his lips caused me to melt.

"Bella, are you with me?" he teased, brushing his lips against my cheekbone. That, in turn, turned a bright red in embarrassment.

"You got me," I admitted, the blush traveling across the rest of my face.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked quietly, shifting me so I was sitting sideways on his lap. I looked down into my lap, fidgeting with my hands.

"Just… stuff…" I hedged, chagrined. He smirked at me, placing another kiss lightly on my lips. "So, about this party…"

"I won't let you out of my sight," he vowed. I nodded, and rested my head against his chest, sighing in contentment. It was in this position that Alice found us with a worried expression on her face. Edward's fists clenched around me for a moment, as his and Alice's gazes locked. "Excuse me for a moment, love." He pushed me gently off his lap, and followed Alice out the door.

* * *

_Edward Cullen_

I followed Alice out the door, leaving a confused Bella behind. Alice was now repeating famous love quotes from the nineteenth century. The only words that slipped through her thoughts were the ones she had relayed to me before: _We need to talk._

"Alice, what is it?" I whispered urgently. She turned her dark, tortured eyes to me. She let a vision slide through the wall she had created. I gasped as I watched a dark figure crouch over two bodies, both with familiar honey colored hair. Their usually pale faces were white; drained of blood and life.

"No," I moaned, my eyes widening in horror. "Not…" I looked to Alice, who was nodding her head slightly, her tortured eyes now full of liquid.

"What will happen to them? Jasper and Rosalie?"

"Carlisle is taking them in," she assured me quietly. "I can't see the attacker's face, but I do know that it's only a matter of time before he strikes again. He seems to feel an antipathy for Carlisle. It must be because of the… experiment. Maybe he's curious, and knows that Carlisle will meet with him if that's what he desires—Carlisle would do anything to save us. Or maybe he just likes killing, and he traced the rarest of disorders to them… You do know what this means, don't you?" I nodded sullenly. I would break someone's heart.

"I can't do it," I mumbled, barely loud enough for Alice to hear. She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"You can. It's the only way to make her safe," she replied softly. I closed my eyes, willing for all of this to go away. "When we return to Forks for the long weekend after Valentine's day… that should be a good time, I think," she mused. I nodded slowly in agreement. I turned, and reentered Bella's room. A look of shock flitted across her face as she took in my somber features; I attempted to smile, but it turned out to be a grimace.

_Nothing would ever be the same._

* * *

_Bella Swan_

As Edward and Alice left my room, I sighed slightly. I wondered what was going on, but I wouldn't press them for information. They could tell me when I was ready. When Edward and Alice reentered my room, I was shocked at their defeated faces. Edward must have noticed the slight change in my facial expression, as he attempted a smile. It didn't help. I wished I had his ability to read minds. I opened my arms, and Edward willingly walked into them, followed quickly by Alice. I heard small sniffles, which I assumed came from Alice.

My assumption was correct. When Edward's nose touched the corner of my jaw, it was completely dry. I deeply inhaled, and his delicious scent washed over me. Another sniffle from Alice reminded me not to try and rip his clothes off and comfort him in the most physical way possible. _Where did that come from?_ I thought, completely mystified.

After a few minutes, Edward and Alice managed to compose themselves, and pulled away from me slightly. Alice sighed, and smiled weakly.

"Thanks, Bella. Now I know where to go for comfort. Edward obviously is insufficient," she joked feebly. I nodded, offering her a small chuckle in return. Edward's face remained stoic, and for the first time, I noticed the bruise like bags under his eyes. Alice did too. "You two take a nap. I'm going to talk to Jasper about… the national debt," she invented wildly. I raised a brow questioningly, but let the topic go. I did feel suddenly very tired. I yawned widely, and Alice grinned brightly at me, some of her usual cheery demeanor returning. I snaked my arms and legs around Edward's torso in a vice like grip. He chuckled, leaning back onto my pillows. The corners of my lips pulled into a mischievous smile as I nuzzled my face into his neck.

"Sleep tight, love birds. I'll pick out your outfit for tomorrow, Bella, and then I'll leave you two to complete your naughty needs." This was the last thing I heard before the sudden fatigue I felt crashed over me in a more powerful wave, and my eyelids drooped, allowing me to succumb.

* * *

_Alice Brandon_

I watched Edward and Bella lean back onto the pillows falling asleep quickly. Edward quickly pressed his lips into Bella's hair, and he was asleep before he could pull away completely. I _almost_ clapped excitedly; I _almost_ squealed. Instead, I hurried over to Bella's closet, quickly choosing tomorrow's outfit.

I smirked as I lay her options on the desk—she wouldn't be too happy with her shoes. But now was not the time to worry about Bella's reaction to my expert clothing choice. No, it was time to confront Jasper… and Rosalie. Emmett as well, for that matter; he would be involved with anything that Rosalie was involved in.

I sighed grudgingly, all excitement flooding from my body. I trudged out of the room, searching for my three friends. I found them almost immediately, exiting the elevators and talking loudly. I smiled grimly at them, and Jasper immediately was at my side, feeling my pain. But what he didn't know was that the pain was for him.

"We need to talk. All of us." With that, I led the way into the dorm room Rosalie and I shared. I quickly turned on my laptop, bringing up iTunes so that innocent people that just happened to pass our room during this morose conversation wouldn't be able to eaves drop. I motioned for us to convene on my bed. I took a deep breath before starting.

"I had a vision," I started with a slight tremble in my voice. I took another deep breath as Jasper rubbed my shoulders, and sent me waves of comfort. They didn't work as well as usual. "Jasper, Rose, I saw your parents. There was someone standing over them… they were dead." I looked seriously around at them. Rosalie was staring at me in horror, Emmett was frozen, and Jasper's lips were pressed in a tight line. He knew I was telling the truth.

"No," Rosalie whispered in obvious denial. I bowed my head.

"It's true," Jasper murmured, holding me tightly against his strong chest. I could feel slight convulsions—tears that he wouldn't let escape.

"Rosalie, you know about Jasper, Edward and I. Our genetic disorder…" Rosalie nodded, but Emmett looked completely lost. I figured it would be good for him to know what I was talking about, but he first had to make a promise. "Emmett, you can't tell anyone about this. And no matter what decisions we make as a group, you have to go along with it, no arguments, and no exceptions. Are you willing to do that?" I asked him solemnly. He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Rosalie. "She has to go along with it. It's a genetic disorder—she could be a carrier," I informed him quietly. He nodded in agreement.

"I'm eighteen. I can make my own decisions. And anything Rosie does, I do," he declared, kissing her gently on the cheek. I saw a slight blush creep across her cheeks, and couldn't hold in a smile. The two awed me each day with their perfect balance of tenderness and physicality relationship-wise. I trailed my fingers along Jasper's arm while I thought about how to describe the disorder.

"It's called Cercumsosis. **(A/N: Totally doesn't exist)** It's extremely rare, with only five true cases in the last millennia. That is including Jasper, Edward and I. It's a genetic disorder of the brain which causes it to develop differently; in a more advanced way, if you will. It's the reason that Jasper can control emotions, why I can see the future, and why Edward can read minds. However, Cercumsosis isn't all fun and games—most people die from it by the age of twenty five.

"Carlisle is… different. He's been working as a doctor, and strangely enough, delivered Edward in Chicago. Carlisle and Esme are acting as Edward's real parents because Elizabeth, his biological mother, died during child birth; she was a carrier for Cercumsosis. She had one dying wish, but I don't think I'm at the liberty to tell you that. He will, in time. Anyways, Edward senior was also a carrier for the disorder, but died halfway through the pregnancy. Edward considers Carlisle and Esme his real parents.

"When I was two years old, my mother died from the disorder. My father didn't know about it—my mother could cause the illusion of pain to anyone when she wanted to—and he didn't stay to help me, worried that I would be a freak as well. I lived in Biloxi, Mississippi.

"He put me up for adoption. Luckily for me, Carlisle and Esme were vacationing in Pascagoula to see the sights of Lake Pontchartrain. They noticed the ad for a toddler up for adoption. They took interest in me, and Carlisle looked into my medical records. He discovered that I had Cercumsosis as well. The adoption papers were signed.

"Carlisle did a little test on Edward and I. I don't know exactly what he did, but I just know something about a first year not being as difficult. You can ask him on Valentine's weekend when we go to visit." I looked around, pausing in my explanation. Emmett was staring at me with a rapt expression on his face. I almost laughed, but Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder, urging me to tell them his story. I nodded, and continued.

"Jasper and Rosalie are biological twins. You probably already know their story, but it's important. When they were born in Rochester, their parents kept them there, completely unaware of Jasper's abilities. Of course, they hadn't manifested themselves yet—our little gifts don't show up until about five years before our death. They moved to Houston, much to Rose's dismay." I shot a small smile in her direction. "Jasper absolutely loved it. He adored all of the history behind everything, especially the Civil war. If he could go back in time, he would go to that time period, and be a general." I beamed proudly at the love of my life. "Their parents discovered Riverside, up here in rainy Washington, and urged both of them to attend for at least one year. If they didn't like it, they could return.

"I met Jasper at orientation—Jasper must remember this story. I was sitting with Carlisle, Esme and Edward, completely stressed out about the first day of school. I was very sure to not let it show on my face, and nobody noticed. Except for Jasper. He came over to me, and told me that I should calm down, because he could practically feel the waves of irritation rolling off of Edward. Little did he know that he actually _was_ feeling Edward's irritation. Carlisle looked at Jasper, his eyes calculating. He asked Jasper his full name."

"Jasper Whitlock Hale, sir," Jasper responded immediately in a slight southern drawl. I giggled, slapping him playfully. He knew that I found his southern accent incredibly alluring.

"And then Carlisle asked where his parents were seated, and Jasper politely pointed them out. He then sat down beside me, and we hit it off immediately. A pretty blond young woman--" I glared pointedly at Rosalie, who smirked, knowing what happened next—"Comes up to Jasper and I and tells us to just kiss already."

"Then I looked at Alice, asking for her permission. And she nodded her head vigorously, the energized pixie she is, and I kissed her," Jasper concluded, as if it was no big deal.

"If that wasn't a narrative drift, I don't know what is. The whole time, Carlisle was talking to Mr. and Mrs. Hale, and I guess he asked permission to look into Jasper's medical records. He did so when he got home, and wasn't completely surprised to discover that Jasper had Cercumsosis as well. It was too late in Jasper's life for Carlisle to do the experiment on Jasper; he knew that it wouldn't cause him harm, because Edward and I were still normal and human as possible. Carlisle also checked their daughter's medical records, only to discover that she did not have the obvious symptoms of Cercumsosis—which was basically knowing everything, and then some. Sorry Rosalie," I nodded towards her apologetically. She shrugged, finding an interest in one of Emmett's short curls. "Well, that's basically it," I finished lamely.

"What does this have to do with Rosie's parent dying?" Emmett asked immediately, enthralled by the tale.

"Personally, I think that he was just curious about us, and knew he wouldn't be able to talk to Carlisle unless Carlisle came to him personally. But no decisions have been made, so I can't know for sure." Emmett nodded slowly, and I grimaced slightly, not having any better way to explain the situation.

"So basically, the only way the guy can talk to Carlisle about you freaks is through killing their loved ones?" He summarized pointedly. I contemplated this, and decided it was generally correct; I nodded. "Well, that sucks." I laughed, and was quickly joined by Jasper, Rosalie, and finally Emmett. I sobered up for a few minutes, and corrected something that I noticed in his phrase. I looked down at my lap, fidgeting with my fingers. Jasper noticed my sudden distress, and rubbed my arm comfortingly.

"I'm not exactly sure you could call the attacker a guy…" I trailed off, looking up at those around me. Their jaws were hanging, but I wasn't going to elaborate.

.:.

After Emmett had digested the whole situation, we decided to check up on Bella and Edward. They were still sleeping soundly in each other's arms, smiles on their peaceful faces. I smiled proudly, and was about to close the door when I heard Bella. Of course, she would be sleep talking again.

"Edward…" she moaned, but not in an erotic way.

"Bella," he responded in the same tone. I stared at them wide eyed—when did Edward start sleep talking? I scanned all my memories, but couldn't find any with Edward sleep talking. It must be an acquired habit—he was spending an awful lot of time with Bella.

"Don't leave me," she prompted, a slightly pained expression on her face. Edward shook his head infinitesimally.

"I'm physically incapable of leaving you," he replied, tightening his grip around her slightly. Such an Edward response. Bella smiled in obvious relief. "I love you."

"I know." Then it was silent. I stepped out of the door, closing it quietly behind me. Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett were waiting in the same silence before Emmett broke it.

"Does she know?" Emmett asked quietly, his tone completely serious. It was a strange change from the fun loving Emmett I had grown used to after so long. I shook my head no.

"He'll tell her… in time. I just hope she won't be too broken by it."

"She's handled tougher stuff than that," Rosalie pointed out. I shrugged slightly, knowing that this was different. But I wasn't in the mood to argue. Instead, I linked my arm through Jasper's, and led the way out of the building. We walked slowly towards the lake, and I plopped down in front of a tree, staring out at the frozen lake. I had the sudden urge to ice skate, but I didn't know if Emmett would be able to handle that; he was certainly too heavy for the ice sheet. I recalled the last time I had skated. It wasn't a pleasant experience, as I almost had my hand chopped off by a skate. I winced slightly at the memory.

"Let's play two truths and a lie!" Emmett exclaimed excitedly, bringing me out of my memory. Everyone had taken a seat around me, as I had planned. _Alice Brandon, the center of attention. As it should be._ With a smirk, I nodded quickly. "I'll go first! Let's see… I've had sex on a car, I've had sex on Alice's bed, I've had sex underwater." He grinned cheekily at us, while Rosalie rolled her eyes. I glared at Emmett, hoping the lie was the second choice.

"Not everything is about sex, Emmett," Rosalie pointed out, looking away from us.

"Rose, you can't answer," Jasper said immediately after. Rosalie shrugged—apparently, she hadn't planned on answering. A hint of red stained her cheeks, and I had a feeling it wasn't from the cold.

"No," I gasper, clapping my hands over my mouth. I couldn't believe it. They christened my bed? Jasper and I hadn't even done it on there yet! Rosalie looked at me apologetically, biting her lower lip in a manner that was worthy of Bella. Jasper felt the waves of anxiety rolling off of me, and pressed his lips to my temple softly.

"Emmett, can you please refrain from making sweet and passionate love on top of my girlfriend's bed?" Emmett laughed loudly, managing to nod his head while Rosalie stared at him with a look that obviously questioned the reasons they were together. But she seemed to remember when Emmett swept her off her feet, and dipped her to a kiss. I nestled my head into the crook of Jasper's neck, and he lightly trailed his fingers along my spine. I tilted my chin up, and planted my lips on the corner of his jaw. He watched me from the corner of his eye, his lips tugging upwards in a smirk. Jasper turned to face me fully, lifting me onto his lap.

And so we sat, staring into each other's eyes lovingly; I could get lost in Jasper's ocean blue eyes. A smile crept across my petite features, and a matching one grew on his.

Would things be different in two weeks time?

* * *

_Bella Swan_

I groggily opened my eyes to the most perfect sight on the planet. There was my Edward, curled up beside me with his arms draped around my waist, a smile on his full lips. I sighed dreamily—these were the features I had been dreaming about for nearly a month. I remained still, just watching the person I sincerely planned to spend the rest of my life with.

A knowing smile grew on those flawless lips, and I noticed a hint of green beneath his slightly parted eye lids. I pursed my lips—had he been watching me for the few minutes I had been awake. That would be… I struggled to come up with an adjective. _Nice,_ my conscious supplied. Yes, it would be nice to know he was secretly watching me.

"The secret's out," I murmured, mostly to myself, but Edward chuckled musically. It was still one of my favorite sounds, apart from the light trickling of a waterfall, pages turning, and his voice. He leaned upwards slightly, expertly placing his lips on my pursed ones. His tongue lightly traced along my bottom lip, and I allowed him what he wanted. He explored my mouth before giving me a chance to taste his sweet breath on my own tongue.

What I truly loved most about Edward was that he would do anything to my liking. It made me feel rather selfish, but after so many years of having to be the parental figure, it was nice to be taken care of. If I felt uncomfortable with something, he wouldn't move further. If I wanted more, he would happily oblige. Everything he did, he did for me, and I loved it; other than the slightly guilty feeling that I was getting everything, and he might not be quite as pleased.

I parted my lips with Edwards, rendering him confused. If I had it my way, I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning, and spend the day with him just kissing. So naturally, this must be a shock to him. It was a once in a lifetime thing.

"I've always wanted to try something," I informed him softly, tracing my finger down his throat. I heard—and felt—him gulp. _Oh no,_ my insecure side immediately kicked in. _He doesn't want you in that way._ I felt a sinking sensation in my stomach, but shoved it away. "Tell me; good or bad." I let my fingers fall to his collarbone, running lightly across it.

"Good," he answered immediately. I looked up to see his green eyes almost half obscured with the golden flecks. I didn't let my mind loiter on this insignificant detail; I tucked it away for another time. My fingers continued down to his sternum. "Good," he repeated, staring back at me. I let my fingers trail down to his hard stomach, letting them linger on the last set of his abs. I felt the color rushing to my face as Edward's eyes closed, hiding the beautiful mix of gold and green. "_Very_ good." I looked down in embarrassment, only to see just how good it felt it him. I quickly removed my hand from his stomach, and glared, chagrined, at the wall.

"What's wrong?" His soft, melodious voice hummed, and my eyes immediately snapped back to him. I was met with my favorite mix of gold and green, looking genuinely confused.

"I'm s-sorry," I stammered, folding my hands awkwardly in my lap. I kept my eyes on his, but my mind was in the gutter… again.

"Why are you sorry?" Edward whispered, reaching out and placing one of his hands on my cheek. It felt cooler than usual, and I assumed it was because of the blush ravaging my cheeks at the moment.

"I… you… I didn't mean… you see… ahh!" My eyes had flicked downwards, and I scrunched them closed, trying to avert awkward conversation.

"Bella…" Edward said, all signs of amusement evident in his tone alone. "When a boy really, _really_ likes a girl—or loves, in my case-- he gets excited. To be honest, it's never happened to me this quickly or… er… as _forcefully_ as now," he explained, and I noted the brilliant red creeping across his cheeks. "It's something you should be proud of," he added hastily, in an attempt to redeem himself slightly. I was torn. Part of me was positive that he thought I was sexually inept—which was mostly true, as I'd never been in love, or lust before. For me, they kept the same company. And I was perfectly fine with that, because Edward… well, he was Edward, to put it simply enough. However, the other part of me wanted to laugh. I, Bella Swan, had successfully flustered Edward Cullen. It wasn't something I could get used to.

Instead of laughing, I decided on attacking his lips with my weapon of choice—my own. He gratefully accommodated, and we had a small wrestling match with our tongues. The kiss was passionate and zealous, but also loving and compassionate. It wasn't until the desire overwhelmed the softness that we rolled over on the bed, and fell with a dull _thump_ to the floor. I stared at Edward wide eyed for a moment, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Well, if this is my wakeup call after a nap… I can't wait for every morning in the future," he informed me with a wink. I slapped him playfully, and he responded by ravaging my lips again.

.:.

"_Your lips are like an angel's," dream Edward murmured against my lips. I heard the song _Lips of an Angel_ by Hinder playing in the background. I didn't have time to respond to dream Edward's information—my dream lips were quite busy. There were another few moments of butterfly kisses before dream Edward's sweet breath moved to tickle my ear. "You should wake up now, love."_

It took me a few moments to open my eyes, pouting slightly at the interruption of my dream. When I saw Edward lying next to me, snickering, I shot bolt upright, nearly knocking him off the bed.  
"I prefer the wake up kiss," he decided, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I glared at him. "You're so cute when you sleep."

"I thought it was a dream, obviously," I confessed, furrowing my brow in confusion. I sighed, reluctantly dragging myself out of bed. I trudged over to my desk, snatching up my toiletries. I was halfway to my closet when I froze, something clicking in my mind. I slowly turned, and stared agape at the offending objects. Sitting on my desk was a simple dark blue dress. But that wasn't what caused my horror-- it was the shoes. They were black leather platform open toed pumps with a t-strap. I scrutinized the heel, and decided it was about, oh, a _million_ inches high.

"I am not wearing those," I stated blatantly, pointing at the shoes. Edward crawled across my bed to the other side of my desk. He picked one of the shoes up by the heel, and a note tumbled out of it. I snatched it up, and saw four words in Alice's handwriting. I groaned after my eyes flashed across the note, then shoved it in Edward's direction. He curiously took hold of it, and barked out a laugh.  
"_Wear these-- or else! _Alice would write something like that," he asserted, crumpling the note and tossing it towards the garbage. He eyed the dress with a devilish glint in his eye. I edged towards the door, hoping to make an escape before he could put his plan into action. I lunged at the same time as Edward; I reached for the door, while Edward grasped my dress and other shoe. I flung the door open, and dashed towards the bathroom. I managed to shut the bathroom door before Edward could catch up. I braced myself against my knees as I tried to catch my breath.

"You might want your clothes," Edward reprimanded through the door. I was now able to breathe regularly, and loped towards the sink to brush my teeth and hair. When I finished that, I returned to the door, listening intently. There was no sound. I truly hoped that Edward had just left my clothes at the door; I opened it a crack and was assailed by a streak of bronze. I squeaked in surprise when I was swept up into his arms, and he carried me over to a bathroom stall. I was even more unnerved when Edward locked the door behind him. He turned to me, his lips turned upwards in the same devilish look as before. I noticed he still had my dress and shoes in hand.

It was like the missing piece of the puzzle had been found. _Edward wants to dress me..._ I froze, my eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. Though he had seen me in my underwear and bra before, it was dark. This was bright, fluorescent lighting, which was capable of flaunting all the worse parts of my body. I took a shaky breath, my eyes flickering from the clothes in Edward's hand to his golden green eyes. He leaned forward, and pressed his lips to mine gently. His breath smelled as sweet and delicious as it usually did, which was unsurprising to me—Edward _never_ had morning breath, something he was fortunate enough to get away with. I, on the other hand… well, thankfully I brushed my teeth already. When he pulled away, that was all the assurance I needed.

I didn't stop him when his fingers tucked under the hem of my night shirt, and swiftly pulled it over my head. He admired the royal blue bra with black lace for a moment, before pinching the bottom of my pajama shorts and pulling them down slightly. I bit back a moan; Edward smirked up at me, inching my shorts down the rest of my legs. The shorts were midway down my thighs… my knees… my calves… by the time they rested around my ankles, I was frozen. I simply wanted to rip off Edward's clothes, and take him. Edward looked like he wanted the same. His eyes hungrily roved my body, before he crashed his lips onto mine forcefully. I was instantly thankful that Alice had bought this ensemble, that it didn't involve a thong, and that she forced me into them yesterday.

After a moment, Edward pulled away from my lips, which instantaneously made me puff my lips out in a pout. He laughed musically, before tossing the dress over my head. He rested his hands on my waist, looking over me again, before he slowly keeled down, his hands running along my thighs and calves to my feet; I shivered in pleasure. He gently placed my foot into one of the death traps Alice had threatened me to wear, before switching over to the other. I swayed precariously, clutching Edward's shoulders for support. He unlocked the stall door, and hesitated. He turned back to me, and swung me up into his arms; I nearly strangled him with my grip. He picked up my toiletries bag, and carried me out.

After dropping of my bathroom necessities off and gathering my school supplies, Edward toted me to the elevator, and then to his room. He quickly picked out the clothes that he would wear, and tossed them to me. He then proceeded to pose in front of me, his hands on his hips, his weight shifted onto one leg. I giggled at his… _femininity_.

"Do your worst," he purred seductively. I charged for him, forcibly tearing off his clothes. He was in his boxers in less than ten seconds.

"Why do you wear clothes?" I murmured, and then bit my lip. I verily hoped that he didn't hear that.

"Well, there only one girl in this world who I want to make love to," he replied sincerely, giving me a pointed look. I, being the awkward person that I was born, blushed furiously and turned away. Edward hooked his finger under my chin, pulling it so that I was facing him again. He placed his palms on both of my cheeks, and kissed me sweetly. "I think you know her," he continued, as I pulled his shirt over his head. He took his pants from me, and I pulled them on—I didn't have enough self control to handle that. "She has the most beautiful mahogany hair. I love it when it waves down her back, or is pulled back in a simple ponytail. She has these big, wide set chocolate eyes, where every time I look into them, I find myself falling even more in love with her. She has curves in all the right places. But it's not just her body that I love so much—it's really her personality. A lovely blush paints her cheeks when she's embarrassed, and sometimes, I don't know why. She bites her lip as well, a habit so sensual; I have to use all of my self control to contain the monster within me that is called a boy." He grinned slightly at that, and I did as well. He slipped his hand into mine and led the way out of his room after grabbing his bag. "When she tells me she loves me, I know that she speaks nothing of the truth—I see it in her big, beautiful eyes. But she's different from all other girls in more ways than one. She doesn't care about her looks, and she is adorably shy. Her best friends love to play Barbie with her, and she always agrees, just to make them happy. She is generally careful, but lately, I've seen her take more risks. I love to think that I'm the reason for that. But most importantly, she is the most unpredictable creature I have ever crossed. I always expect one thing from her, but she never reacts that way. I love the mystery that she provides me with. I love everything about her, inside and out. And I will be by her side as long… as long as… it's best for her." He finished his declaration on a slightly irresolute note, and I realized that tears were pooling in my eyes. He used one of his fingertips to gently wipe them away, and then placed an innocent kiss on her lips.

"You're too good to me," I managed to say. He laughed quietly in response, and began to swing our hands between us to lighten the mood.

"So, the ball is in a week. Mind if I save every dance—except for the one where I absolutely _must_ dance with Lauren—for you?" I nodded, grinning like an idiot. Oh well; all of my dignity went out the window ages ago.

Edward was nearly skipping by the time we got to the food court for breakfast. We had about five minutes before the first bell rang—just enough time to snag a muffin. Which I did. Blueberry, to be precise. Edward picked out a chocolate chip one, and was devouring it while simultaneously paying for our food. I had given up the fight about money-- I knew Edward and Alice were very well off; how else was Alice able to pay for all of those shopping jaunts? I picked off pieces of my muffin, shoving them into my mouth while I directed us towards Alice, whose hands were waving wildly over her head. When I looked over at Edward, he had muffin crumbs over his face. _And I thought he was a gentleman,_ I thought in mock irritation. I swallowed my muffin, and smiled angelically at Edward.

"Hey, Edward, you got a little something on your face," I pointed out. The back of his free hand automatically wiped his crumbly lips. He looked at me expectantly, and I lied by shaking my head no. I leaned towards him, and pressed my lips onto his, letting my tongue trail along both of his full lips, pretending to collect the remaining crumbs. When I pulled away, I feigned scrutinizing his crumb less face while he gazed at me hungrily. "Yes, I definitely got it," I assured him, before continuing to Alice's table. Edward sat beside me a few moments later, and leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"It's unfair to tease me like that, you know. I got a little excited for a moment." He sat back in his chair, smirking and oozing confidence. I sat dumbstruck, my hand frozen halfway to my mouth. Emmett, who was on my other side, eyed the piece of muffin in my hand, before his hand darted out, encased mine, and disappeared again, all in less than one second. He was chewing obviously, not even bother trying to hide the fact that he stole about half my muffin. I huffed impatiently, and finished off the pastry.

"See you at lunch." With a small wave, I strode off towards the school building, feeling Edward's eyes burning holes into my back. I smiled in satisfaction.

English started in the usual monotonous manner. Mr. Hall had recited a Robert Frost poem, and was now lecturing us on what it meant. I tentatively raised my hand; he was about to call on someone else, but changed to me, as I didn't volunteer often.

"Most people consider the best things in life to be golden. The beginning of a life is golden, which is referenced in the first line of the poem. _Nature's first green is gold_," I started, starting to feel like this was a bad idea. "And then the second couplet continues with the first leaf being a flower, but only for a short amount of time. The final two couplets deal with the falling of this flower, the flower being the best things in life. This leads me to believe that nothing perfect ever lasts." Mr. Hall nodded in agreement.

"Miss Swan brings up an excellent point…" And so the monotony continued.

The rest of my morning classes passed in a blur of excitement, mainly generating from a hyperactive Alice. She seemed to have a greater bounce in her step, and when I asked her why, she responded simply.

"It's a nice day." Then she plastered a huge smile on her face, and bounded from the room.

When I sat next to Edward at lunch, I felt completely exhausted. I didn't exactly know why, as I had been sleeping a lot during my suspension. Edward had his arm wrapped firmly around my waist on the way to Biology, supporting a majority of my weight. I collapsed into my chair, promptly folding my arms in front of me on the black table and resting my head on them. I heard Edward sigh from somewhere above me, then he started playing with a strand of my hair.

When Mr. Roche entered the room, I sat up grudgingly. I doodled absently while Edward took explicit notes, which I hoped to copy later. A thought struck me, and I tore out a piece of paper from my notebook.

_I am so bored._ I wrote quickly, my usually messy scrawl nearly illegible.

_**I can tell. What are you even drawing? From here, it looks like strangely colored eyes. **_I looked from the piece of paper, to him, to my notebook.

_They are._

_**Is there someone you're not telling me about? **_There was a smirk on his face. He knew that they were his eyes.

_Yes. Mike and I have been getting together every day after first period. Sorry, Edward. I'm just __so__ sexually frustrated._ I held my hand out to Edward, who had already answered in his neat script. I waited for him to press the folded paper into my palm, but it never came.

"Mr. Cullen, Miss Swan, passing notes?" Mr. Roche admonished, holding out a hand for Edward to put the note in.

"No, I was showing Bella my notes on the Krebs cycle," he replied, looking politely confused. Mr. Roche held out his hand, and Edward pressed the folded piece of paper into his hands. Edward looked mildly insulted that Mr. Roche wouldn't trust him. The man apprehensively opened the note, and his face fell.

"I see. You were telling the truth." He was? Well, my Edward _was_ a mind reader. Perhaps he heard Mr. Roche preparing a lecture for us on the topic of notes. "I apologize." I stared at Edward wordlessly. "What?" he whispered.

"Nothing," I mouthed, turning back to the whiteboard. I started to draw Edward's eyes again on my paper, ignoring the long sigh issuing from him. Who was he to talk? It wasn't my fault his eyes were so insanely gorgeous. I turned to Edward, smiled angelically, and then returned to my magnificent doodles.

**Author's Note: Confused? Excellent! Review for me please! I'll update faster... this one was out in less time than the last few! And it's the longest by about a thousand words. Yep-- the grand total is 7259 words in this chapter!**


	20. Seventeen: Proclamation

**Disclaimer: It is very unfortunate that I have to keep repeating this disclaimer. You should know that I'm not cool enough to own the Twilight characters. -shakes head-**

**PS: See if you can find anything familiar in this chapter...**

**Chapter 17: Proclamation (M)**

The rest of the week passed virtually without incident. I caught a few glares from Lauren and Tanya; nothing out of the ordinary.

Friday dawned, bright and cold. I peeked at Edward from between my lashes, and caught him gazing intently at me. He grinned sheepishly, and then kissed me contritely on the lips. I pulled away after less than five seconds. His pout was one that would give Alice a run for her money. I flounced over to my closet, picking out a simple white cotton long sleeved shirt and dark wash jeans. With a wink at Edward, I pranced out of the room. I caught the look on his face, and almost burst into a fit of hysterical laughter—the half amused, half agape expression was absolutely priceless.

It took him a few moments to compose himself, and I was pushing the bathroom door open when he burst out of my room, and flew towards me. He scooped me up bridal style, and returned me to my room. I faked irritation as the door clicked closed behind us. He set me down in front of him, but placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Did you honestly forget our newly installed morning tradition?" Edward asked, making his voice alluring… well, more alluring than it normally was. "A good morning kiss, you strutting over to your closet with your hips swaying irresistibly—it makes me wonder why I haven't taken you yet. And then you return to me with another kiss, still soft and sweet. My fingers play at the hem of your shirt, until it's too much for you to take. You refuse to kiss me again until it's off. When I oblige, I don't let your lips meet mine. I inch your shorts down your legs, nearly causing you to moan in ecstasy. And there's a new part that I planned to try." The very same devilish smirk that graced his full lips so regularly was present again. "Would you like to know what it is? I can only show, not tell…" he trailed off suggestively. I hesitated; what was better? Teasing boyfriend and being selfish or letting boyfriend show just what he wanted to try.

"Okay." I decided on the latter. I could feel the blush starting to creep onto my cheeks as Edward's fingers trailed lightly down my arms to the bottom of my nightshirt. But he didn't stop there. His fingers stopped at the waistband of my shorts, and he started to inch them downwards. He planted his lips tenderly on the newly exposed skin of my upper thigh, right near my heated center. After each unit of skin was unveiled, he kissed it softly, until his lips were at my ankle.

He straightened up, and smirked at me, before starting to work on my shirt. He repeated the process of butterfly kisses from below my navel to the center of my collar bone. When he tugged the shirt over my head, he paused, resting his cheek on the left side of my torso. Listening to my heart.

I looked down at him questioningly, and he had a strange look on his face. Almost like he was listening to something he could never have. But he was wrong—Edward's heart beat was normal, and he was healthy. Right? Right, I assured myself. You're just too worried, Bella. I nodded immediately, sighing deeply. Edward looked up, and smiled sheepishly.

"Is this uncomfortable for you?" he inquired, lifting his head off of my body. I vigorously shook my head no. Of course it wasn't uncomfortable—if I were to be totally honest with myself, it wasn't quite comfortable enough. He chuckled musically, before pressing his lips to my sternum, and then to my own. He finally shifted away, and I frowned at the loss of contact. There was a smirk gracing his full lips, and my brows knit together in suspicion. He was rummaging in my closet, and before I had the chance to ask him what the hell he was doing, he was loping back to my side, the smirk more obvious than ever.

"That bra will show through your shirt," he pointed out, holding a lacy white panties set. Why, oh why, did I choose a navy bra? I mentally cursed myself for lessening my morning time with Edward. I sighed again, holding out my hand to take the garments from him. He dropped them in my outstretched hand, and I trotted over to my desk to retrieve my toiletries bag.

"I'll meet you back here in about ten minutes? Will that give you enough time to get ready?" I called over my shoulder, heading for the door. But before I could take another step, I could feel his hand, strong and protective, closing over my wrist. I turned, completely disconcerted by his sudden action. The green of his eyes was more prominent than the gold right now. I was growing accustomed to see more topaz than emerald lately, but this was not the case. Again, I wondered the cause of the change.

"I don't think that's necessary," he purred, while simultaneously pushing me up against the wall. His fingers trailed up my arms, resting on my shoulders. My breathing hitched, and my fingers unclenched around the items I had been holding. His hands slowly slid down from my shoulders, taking the straps of my dark bra with them. Instinctively, I reached out and clasped my arms around Edward's middle, pulling him closer to me. He obliged, sandwiching my body between the wall and his own, his lips pressing passionately to mine as he continued inching the straps of my bra down my arms.

And then, it clicked. I remembered where I was, what time it was, everything. I especially remembered how tempting Edward was, and that the first time I was completely nude around him, I would crack and throw him onto the bed. And that was not what I wanted at about six thirty in the morning. Well, I did want it, all the time, but I didn't want the first time to be this early in the morning, and then have to go to classes afterwards, fantasizing about what would come that night. Not that I didn't already fantasize about Edward in that way…

"Edward," I moaned, pressing my hands to his chest in an attempt to push him off. Edward, being the gentleman he was, placed a chaste kiss on my lips before taking a step back. He looked ashamed of his actions. I shook my head slightly, turning bending down to pick up what I had dropped. Only when I heard a quiet groan from behind me did I realize I was giving Edward a full view of my barely covered cheeks. I straightened slowly, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Not like I was going to turn around and let him see that, though. "Ten minutes," I promised, darting from the room without a backwards glance.

I rushed to the bathroom, and quickly changed into the lighter colored bra and panties, before tossing my shirt over my head, and pulling my jeans over my hips. I tugged a brush through my hair, before mussing it slightly with my fingers. I quickly but thoroughly brushed my teeth, then checked my reflection in the mirror before galloping back out the door and to my room. I slung my navy backpack over my shoulder and waited, bouncing slightly out of some Alice-like excitement, for Edward to return.

During my waiting time, I heard a door open, and I whirled around to smile brightly at Alice, who was eyeing me dubiously. Rosalie followed her out, and smirked.

"I'm surprised you didn't wake us up last night," she said wryly, crossing her arms. I scowled at her, the bounce leaving my body as soon as it had come.

"For your information, Edward and I didn't have sex last night, but this morning was a close call," I replied dryly. Alice's dark brows shot up into her hair, and Rosalie's smirk grew more pronounced.

"Well, we'll know when the time finally comes. Where are you meeting Edward?" Rosalie asked, trying to straighten out her face.

"Here," I responded quickly, a goofy grin spreading across my face; the bounces returned. Rosalie sighed, shaking her head slightly, while crossing her arms to wait with me as well. Alice was unusually silent the entire exchange. I noticed her sigh slightly, and I turned.

"You okay?" I asked her quietly. She shook her head lightly, snapping out of a reverie.

"I don't know," she admitted, much to my dismay. Her eyes met mine, and they had a curious expression. But that wasn't the first thing I noticed about them—they had the same golden hue as Edward's. The two were definitely connected, but how? I was about to ponder this when Alice interrupted my thoughts. "Bella, can I ask you something? It might seem a little… invading, but still. I think it's important." She paused, and I nodded, waiting for her to continue. "If Edward asked you to--" The elevator dinged, cutting her off. If Edward asked me to… what? I thought desperately, searching her eyes for the answer. But they were focused on the sliding silver doors, where three people stepped out. Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. I glowered at him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and gave me a light squeeze.

"I just had the most… nauseating… discussion with two nuts over there." He nodded his head in the direction of Jasper and Emmett, who were otherwise occupied. Edward seemed to be oblivious to my glare. "It makes me wonder if you got the same treatment. Rosalie and Alice asked you if we had sex last night, didn't they?" To be honest, I wasn't completely surprised by that. Well, I wasn't surprised about Emmett. Jasper didn't really seem the type to be… up front about this sort of thing. But I didn't really know Jasper all too well. He seemed to be more distant with me than the others. I vowed to try and change that.

"You call sex nauseating? I call it refreshing," I retorted with a smirk. Edward puckered his brow, before shrugging, and pressing a kiss to my lips. A memory flashed across my mind, from not even five minutes ago. "So, Edward, let's discuss your horrific timing," I poked him hard in the stomach, scowling again. He gasped, and then started to tug me forward. I hadn't noticed that everyone else had left as soon as they had appeared. I trudged by his side, resting my head on his shoulder and locking my fingers on his shirt. A blue and white striped button down with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and the top three buttons left undone, giving a peek of his pale, chiseled chest… If Edward asked me to… what? I wondered again, sighing angrily. Edward abruptly stopped walking, and turned to face me, placing both of his hands on my shoulders. They slipped down my arms, and round my waist, holding me closer. Once on my back, they split, one moving to knot into my hair, the other to cup my bottom.

"You are so tempting," he breathed, before crushing his lips to mine. My hands mechanically moved to the shock of silken copper atop his head, my fingers curling around the individual locks. My tongue traced tantalizingly along his lip, before retreating back into my mouth. He groaned trying to work my lips apart. He tasted even more amazing when he was agonized, but I wouldn't let him in. After this morning…

I lightly untangled my hands from his hair, and let them drop to his chest, applying the slightest amount of pressure. He sighed one last time against my lips, before pulling at me. There was an accusing expression on his features—I couldn't help but smirk. Who knew I was such a tease?

"Bella, did I mention just how tempting you are?" he groaned, kissing my neck hungrily. I pushed him back lightly, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"We really shouldn't do this," I sighed, my eyes raking up and down his luscious body. "Not that I don't want to," I hastened to add after receiving a skeptical look from Edward. I felt my cheeks heat up slightly as I continued. "We should be eating, though." When Edward's brows rose incredulously, I realized how sexual that last statement could have sounded. I made a retching sound, turning around so he wouldn't be able to see my crimson cheeks. "Edward, please, have some class. It's breakfast, and I want to have a waffle. No more sexual innuendos, alright? We have a party to go to later; we should save those for… then." I turned around slowly, only to find Edward standing very close behind me. He was still smirking when he took my hand, and led me towards the food court.

Once we ordered our breakfast, I dragged Edward around the seating area to find our group of friends. I immediately spotted Alice, who was bouncing up and down in her chair, attempting to get my attention. I snickered, plopping down into the seat next to her, while Edward took the vacant one on my other side. Rosalie was eyeing my tousled hair warily, eliciting a glare from me.

"No quickies?" Emmett asked loudly, resulting in the return of my viral blush. I turned to glower at him, knowing that the effect wouldn't be as powerful because of my blush, but Edward was already on the job. My eyes flicked towards the gold like creature that amazingly chose me over all of the other beautiful girls in the world. Perhaps the universe—I didn't know if there was life out there, because it wasn't proven either way. But I had heard of a theory a few years ago that there was a system much like that of the Earth and Sun…

"Nope, with Bella, I could never get enough," Edward responded pompously. I snapped out of my thoughts of the universe, before looking down at my waffle, blushing even more furiously. Surely I would turn into a tomato. My head would, at least. I picked at my breakfast, and was unable to stop a thought from flitting to the forefront of my mind. Well, at least I know that he wants me. A stroke of good luck, I would say, I thought wryly.

"You two seriously sound like you've been at it like rabbits," Emmett decided, gulping down some hot chocolate, sliding his other arm around Rosalie, who leaned into his touch.

"You mean like you two?" Jasper rebutted, evoking a bout of laughter from everyone at the table, including Emmett and Rosalie.

"Yep," Emmett agreed, popping the 'p' on yep. A fresh wave of laughter washed over us. Once we regained some composure, Emmett spoke again. "Well, everyone knows that she's mine. They can hear it." He wiggled his brows suggestively, and I felt my stomach drop.

"Uh, time for class, bye." I stood up abruptly, and nearly sprinted away from them. I sensed when Edward caught up to me, chuckling quietly instead of panting and gasping wildly like I was. I slowed to a walk after that, trying to catch my breath somewhat. When we finally reached my English classroom, there was a small mob of students waiting outside. Mr. Hall obviously was not present yet. And then Edward tilted my chin up for my mouth to meet his in a heated, but quick kiss. His fingers managed to slither underneath my shirt for a moment, before they were gone.

"Have a nice morning," Edward saluted me with a wide smirk before loping off. I simply stood there like an idiot, while the class gaped at me. Needless to say, I was completely mortified by the time Mr. Hall unlocked the door to the classroom, and we filed in. I made a beeline for the back of the room, and let my hair fall around my face, acting as a shield, as I bent over my notes.

.:.

"BELLA!" Alice crowed, rushing over to me. "Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella…" she chanted, latching on to my slightly sweaty arm while Rosalie followed behind us, chuckling. I shot her a withering glare. She didn't have to be dragged by a certain pixie just after putting lives at risk. Gym class had just finished—why did I have to take the pointless course?—and Alice had ambushed us as soon as I pushed the door to the locker room open, and a gust of wind caught me off guard. I stumbled, catching myself before I could damage myself even more. Alice didn't notice. "You can eat a little bit, and then we're going to my room to get ready!"

I groaned internally. The party. Right. I just hoped it wasn't a repeat of the last one. Had it really been only a month? It felt like so much longer…

"Look, it's Bellski!" Emmett rushed over to me and scooped me into his embrace, and squeezed the life out of me. I gasped, and he loosened his grip a little. After taking a look at my red cheeks and mussed hair, he guffawed. "Fall down again, Bella?" I glared at him fiercely.

"No, Emmett. I just had the life squeezed out of me." Edward managed to pry me out of Emmett's hands, for which I was thankful. I didn't think I would be too happy if I took a few swipes at him—it would probably result in a broken bone… of mine. I deeply inhaled Edward's heavenly scent, a smile crossing my lips. I closed my eyes, and rested my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. I could stay like this forever without complaint. I had a feeling Edward could as well.

"Okay, say goodbye, Bellski!" I felt a small hand on my shoulder, before I was yanked from Edward's embrace.

"Hey!" I complained, but Alice's fingers were already clasped tightly over my wrist.

"We have to get ready for the party!" She chirped in explanation. Personally, I didn't think it was a legitimate reason, but Alice was not about to let go. I mouthed 'sorry' over my shoulder at Edward, who looked slightly dumbfounded, but he managed to give me a wave goodbye and a crooked smile before he was out of sight.

I rounded on Alice. "Excuse you," I pouted, wrestling my grip from her. She was hesitant about letting go. "I won't run away," I promised, rolling my eyes. She nodded, seeming to trust me. Rosalie watched us, a smirk apparent on her beautiful features. I sighed, and as Alice released my wrist, I crossed my arms indignantly, but continued to follow them.

I was walking in a daze, and therefore was surprised when we were in Alice and Rosalie's room so quickly. I furrowed my brows in confusion, and Rosalie laughed at me. I glared at her, wondering why she was always laughing or mocking me lately. I didn't want to push the matter, so I sat down at Alice's desk, waiting for my torture to begin.

It wasn't as bad as the first time they prepared me for a party. Rosalie started on my hair, and didn't make any wry comments. She applied some sort of straightening balm to my hair, and then parted it to the right. A large radial brush was curved through my waves, as she unleashed the blow-dryer on me. Finally she tucked a silver satin headband into my hair, before running their fingers through my tresses with smoothing shine and lacquer. I stared open mouthed at myself in the mirror. Was that really me? Before I had a chance to get a really good look at myself, Alice was shoving the silver dress they had picked out for me on the shopping expedition. I unfolded the dress, and moaned when I saw two articles of clothing tumble to the floor.

"I'm not wearing those," I declared. The lingerie was essentially the same as what I was wearing now, only more… risqué. The main difference was the absolute sheerness of the lace. It barely covered the parts that I really wanted to remain hidden. There were no straps on the bra either.

"Yes you are," Alice retorted firmly. "We won't look while you change," she promised, turning to face the blank wall, and tugging Rosalie next to her. She stood on tiptoe to whisper something in the lithe blonde's ear, before smirking, and turning back to the wall. Rosalie laughed quietly, following suit. I groaned, checking the curtains to assure that they were closed, before quickly stripping out of all of my garments, and pulled the barely there panties on. I was having some difficulty with the bra though. If Edward came in right now, I would be… mortified.

Of course, speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. There was a light tapping on the door, before someone opened it.

"Alice, Jasper wants to know if--" Edward froze, his eyes glued to my bare chest. I blushed furiously, turning away from him. I vowed to never forgive Alice for this… bra. If I could even call it that. It was more of two doilies connected with a teensy piece of cloth. I was fuming by the time I managed to make the clasps come together, and I pulled the bra around and covered myself. I turned back around to search for my dress, finally locating it in a far corner. Edward hadn't moved since he entered the room, his eyes still glued to my chest. Alice stepped forward, and smacked Edward on the bum.

"Edward, eyes up top," she trilled, before dancing to her closet to find her dress. My eyes met Edward's for a moment, and they were dark green with lust. He seemed to snap out of his stupor, and offered me a sheepish smile. He loped over to me, kissing me gently on the list.

"I apologize for being such a monster then," he murmured into my lips. I nodded, breathless from his gentlemanly ways. He smirked and waltzed out of the room, and I was still frozen. Damn him for dazzling me.

"Bella, no need to drool," Rosalie said airily, picking up my dress from the floor and tossing it to me. Amazingly, I caught it, and pulled it tenderly over my head. I returned to Alice, who then started on my makeup. Amazingly, she and Rosalie were already completely ready.

"How did you…" I started, but was hushed by Rosalie and Alice. They brushed slivery shadow on my eyes, and dragged a mascara brush over my lashes. They finished off the look with frosted pink gloss. I had to admit, I looked pretty nice. When I vocalized this thought, Alice and Rosalie scoffed.

"So modest," they chorused, before bending down to slide the sandals they had gotten me with the chunky crystals on my feet and buckling them quickly. They straightened, examined my composition, and then ushered me out of the room, deeming me perfect. Emmett, Jasper and Edward were waiting for us. Edward had picked up a flower since our last encounter. It was white with red edges. He handed it to me, smiling slightly.

"It's a ruffled tulip," he explained. "I thought a rose wouldn't be… suitable for the occasion." He watched me as I examined it closely. An idea sprung to mind, and I looked up at Edward in what I hoped to be a slightly irritated manner.

"You mean the 'I finally saw my girlfriend's boobs' occasion?" I asked lightly. Edward's jaw, along with everyone else in the surrounding area, dropped. Had I said that loudly? Dang. I managed to keep the viral blush under control.

"I didn't mean… I said… just an accident… sorry," he stammered, his cheeks turning pink. I shook my head slightly.

"I'm only kidding, Edward." I turned my attention back to my tulip. It was something I had never seen before, and I wondered mildly where he got it. I shrugged, bringing the flower up to my nose and peeking at him from under my lashes. I giggled slightly, before kissing him gently on the cheek. I wrapped my arms around his waist, then smirked. He returned the gesture, mimicking my facial expression exactly—except, he looked much more devious.

"It's beautiful," I stated, looking anywhere except his eyes. I would blush furiously after that little act. I settled for his luscious, full lips.

"It pales in comparison to you," he argued quietly, before dipping me in a passionate kiss. Only when Emmett's wolf whistles grew obnoxious did we break apart, smiling like idiots. Emmett swooped over to me, grabbing my around the center, and sprinted towards the stairs, carrying me like a football.

"Emmett! Put me down!" I whined, kicking my legs in an attempt to get free. Everyone else was following, a few steps behind, laughing raucously. I shot a pleading glance in Edward's direction, but he simply looked amused. My desperation quickly turned to anger. "Emmett McCarty, put me down right this instant or I will personally make sure you will not enjoy your next time alone with Rosalie," I hissed venomously. He quickly obliged, setting me gently on my feet, and backed away a few yards, holding up his hands in surrender. I stomped over to Edward.

"Yes, milady?" He drawled, offering me his arm. I didn't take it, but continued to glower at him. I heard Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jasper's voices fading away down the stairs. I didn't move. "There a problem?"

"I'm going to deck you," I growled. We were frozen on the second floor landing, staring at each other.

His eyes were intense, but also mixed with another emotion. Regret? Fear? I hoped that it was a summation of both. Regret that he refused to help me, and fear that I could actually beat him… if I set my mind to it, and I didn't trip. Perhaps it was just the fact that I was a girl, and it would sorely bruise his ego if he was hurt by me, his girlfriend. I narrowed my eyes slightly, scanning his body for a point at which I could attack.

To be honest, I didn't really want to hurt Edward. He was… well, Edward. I loved him with all of my heart, but would I let that get in the way? I generally wasn't the most violent person, but lately, I had been feeling volatile. Was this also a result of that?

"I knew you wouldn't be able to hurt me," he taunted. I balled my hands into fists, my eyes locking on his cheek. The last time I had gotten in a fight, that spot had been a fatal blow. Well, not necessarily fatal, but it was the most damaging. I would use my right hand, and make contact with his left cheek… yes, perhaps even get the eye. A little facial bruising never hurt anyone, did it? No…

As these thoughts went through my head, I didn't notice my body instinctively lower into a crouch. He was doing the same. As soon as I registered my position, I prepared to spring, but Edward was faster. He lunged towards me, and I finally placed the look in his eyes.

Amusement? I was against the wall in a second, Edward's arms restraining me. He was chuckling musically as he grasped my right hand.

"Come on, Bella. We should get going." He looked down at my hand, noticing the ring. He smirked, taking both of my hands and standing in front of me. He slid the ring off my finger and onto the third finger on the left, the crown pointing towards me.

"That means we're married," I clarified for him. He smirked, and dropped my left hand. He was about to answer, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked it quickly, noting that it was a text from Alice. I looked over his shoulder to read the message.

_Take the Volvo. Sort out your diffs. Xo, Alice_

"Guess we're taking the Volvo," he announced, shoving the phone back in his pocket. We finally emerged from the building, swinging our entwined hands. A gust of cold air lapped over me, and I let out a small 'oh' of surprise. Edward quickly shrugged the jacket from his back. I flat out refused for him to freeze because of me, though I did admire his shirt. It was a simple green button down with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, flaunting his toned forearms. The top few buttons were left undone, as they had been this morning, offering a peek to what was underneath. He wore black slacks and simple black shoes. I tripped over air, and almost fell flat on my face. But Edward was there to catch me. And I repeated the same routine—stare at chest, trip and fall, get caught. I stared guiltily away from Edward, trying to think of a way to change the subject.

"What did Jasper want with Alice earlier?"

"He just wanted to know what color dress she was wearing." He sighed. "He was stressing because he didn't want his rose to look strange with whatever she was wearing. Nothing of importance…" I could tell he wasn't giving me the whole truth, but I decided it would be better not to press the matter. I didn't want to explode at him again. I twisted the ruffled tulip between my fingers as he held the door open for me. I thanked him, my mind on other things. He started the car, and we were peeling out of the parking lot within seconds. My ring caught the reflection of the moon.

"And this whole Claddagh ring thing? Are we married now?" He looked slyly at me, taking my hand before turning back to the road.

"We're as good as, don't you think?" I sat back in my seat, unable to hold back a smile. "Think of it as a promise. I'll always love you, and only you can hold my heart in this way." He brushed my knuckles against his lips, before returning his concentration to the road. I felt smug—Edward Cullen had just proclaimed that he would always love me.

I could get used to always being loved.

**Author's Note: GOOD MORNING SUNSHINES! IT IS CURRENTLY 6:41 AM EST. I AM POSTING THIS FOR A GOOD REASON THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING. Today... IT'S MY BIRTHDAY. So as a gift for you, I give you a chapter. As a gift for me, I want reviews!**

**Please?**

**PS: I WAS going to put the party in this chapter. But... I didn't. Next chapter. Sorry. And the whole prologue-- when I wrote it, it was supposed to be Edward and Bella while she hated him, and Edward kisses her for the first time. BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT. Sorry if it is not up to your standards... it's good enough for me.**


	21. IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE

**Author's Note:**

Hey y'all

You lot sure are lucky sons of bitches. I've decided that Prep can be continued, but the storyline will be tweaked to fit my new needs. So look out for a new chapter coming up soon!

Love, Bella!

PS Comment all you want on this note, it's going to be replaced by the new chapter when it's written. It may take a while cause I have to reread the entire story and all HUZZAH


	22. TIMELINE OF THE STORY

**TIMELINE OF THE STORY**

**Wed January 17: Bella arrives at Riverside and moves in****  
****Thurs January 18: Bella's first day of school-- Going to the nurse, lunchtime chat****  
****Fri January 19: Bella's second day of school-- "prep" outfit, the almost kisses and the party****  
****Sat January 20: Bella accepts Edward's apology, first kiss****  
****Sun January 21: Bella accepts Jake's invite to the ball, Skye moves in, Bella and Edward recite **_**Romeo and Juliet**_**, Bella and Edward go out for dinner, "The Pastasauce Accident", Edward stays with Bella for the night and listens to her sleep talk****  
****Mon January 22: Bella's third day of school-- Bella cracks skull open on Alice's bedframe, Edward takes her to the hospital.****  
****Tues Jan 23-Fri Jan 26: Bella is unconscious. Jan 26 she wakes up in the hospital.****  
****Sat Jan 27- Sun Jan 28: Bella gets those dance lessons. Saturday they exchange ILYs. Sunday, Bella has the dream about the kids, they find out Christian is a cheating bastard.****  
****Mon Jan 29: Jessica plays nice; Bella goes to the nurse (my god, talk about a walking disaster); Tanya puts up Bella= brain damaged posters; EDWARD HATES JACOB, "bloodsucker" and "dog" come into play; Strip Poker****  
****Tue Jan 30: Bella's revenge plan "HOW MUCH?" Bella gets violently ill, 24 hour virus****  
****Wed Jan 31: Tanya infuriates Bella, 5 day suspension; Sexy Jealward rears his head****  
****Wed Jan 31- Tue Feb 6: Bella's suspension; Sunday is the hanging in Edward's room "Sex is like math" and shopping****  
****Fri Feb 8: Party Night! and a little spesh something......****  
****Wed Feb 14: Sweethearts Ball****  
****Thurs Feb 15- Tues Feb 20: President's Day Holiday**

**My god, I needed that timeline desperately. I keep trying to figure everything out and now its all better!**


	23. Eighteen: Hot Mess

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or _Hot Mess _by Cobra Starship, the inspiration for the party. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Author's Note: So... I'm back and better than ever! This chapter is a lot different from the other ones; its less fluff. I don't know, I got kind of sick of my old writing, so this is new. I hope you like it, cause this is similar to how it will be for the rest of the story.**

**Also, I know a while ago I said I wouldn't write lemons. I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but there's a slight one in this chapter. Since I've matured, and I know _exactly_ how these two are feeling, the tension needed to be relieved. I've put warnings in so if you want to skip that over, go ahead. It's not a key point in the chapter.**

**ps. Go on and check out my new oneshot Elevators are Matchmakers. It's Rose and Emmett.**

**_Without further ado, the party...._**

**Chapter 18: Hot Mess**

The majority of the car ride was spent in comfortable silence, our fingers twined together lovingly. I glanced over at Edward, noting the triumphant grin plastered across his face. I was pretty sure the expression was mirrored on my face. Though I still didn't thoroughly understand why he felt so strongly about me, I had to accept the fact that he loved me as much as I loved him. Nothing could change that. At least, that's what I hoped.

Edward parked his car and turned off the engine, jumping out of his seat and rushing to my side of the car. I giggled, taking the hand he offered to help me out. A gust of wind ruffled my dress, and I again realized that it was winter. I was wearing a mini dress and sandals. I shivered violently, picking up my pace to get inside faster. I was regretting my refusal of his jacket now. Edward was dragged along behind me, chuckling the whole way. I pushed the door open and slipped in, with Edward immediately behind me.

The venue for this party was very different from the last. The floors, walls, and high ceilings were stark white, giving off a sterile feel. The stairs were slates of glass all connected precariously by ropes of wire. There was a collection of square black sofas and chair clustered in the center of the room, a spatter of party-goers already lounging drunkenly over them. Black and white paintings of angular designs decorated the walls. All of the doors leading out of the room were glass, and from what I could see, the rest of the house was just as black and white.

"Some people are waving us over," Edward whispered in my ear, breaking my concentration. I frowned—I wanted to examine the rest of this house, not mingle with strange people that I didn't know, and that I didn't particularly want to know either. I was happy with my friends, and I had learned that many of the people who came to these parties were complete assholes.

"I'm going to take a look around. I'll find you in ten minutes, okay?" I requested, my eyes darting curiously about. Edward's eyes narrowed infinitesimally.

"I don't know if that's a very good idea, Bella," he replied tightly.

"Well Edward, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." I smiled wide at him, and twisted out of his grip, flouncing towards one of the glass doors. I didn't look back to see Edward's reaction—knowing him, it would be furious. I pulled the chrome handle of the door, and let myself inside. It was the kitchen. Immediately, I found myself swept up by Mike Newton, the baby faced boy from my gym class.

"My girl, Bella!" he slurred, greeting me and introducing me to his friends all at once. I spied the cliché red SOLO cup in his hand. His arm wrapped around my shoulders possessively.

"Hey, Mike." I shrugged out from under his arm and surveyed those around me. Jessica was there—I offered her a small smile which she timidly returned. An attractive stranger sidled up to me.

"Lemonade?" he offered, holding out a cup to me. I realized how parched I was, and took the cup, thanking him. I took a big sip; the lemonade had a certain bite to it. I wondered if it was homemade or store bought. Whichever, it was tasty and satisfying.

Within minutes, I had drained the lemonade. Mike took my cup and refilled it for me. I felt more comfortable around these people now, and was laughing along with every joke—everything seemed funny to me now. I loved how easy these people were to get along with. I mentally slapped myself for thinking that everyone was an asshole who I didn't know. I learned the names of these people; there was Kathryn, a stunning yet haughty golden girl who reminded me irresistibly of Rosalie; there was Jay, a red haired and freckled boy who belonged in an Irish pub; and then there was Nate the attractive stranger with his dark hair, brilliant blue eyes and a white, panty-dropping smile. His arm was slung casually around me and Kathryn, whom I learned was his girlfriend.

After my third cup, I was starting to feel extremely… turned on. I hopped off the counter, on the pretense of finding Edward and showing him just how unbelievably sexy he is.

"Whoa there, partner, you can't leave yet." Nate's voice was almost a purr as he held out his hand to stop me. "Cell phone, please." There was a giant grin plastered on his features. He reminded me of Edward, no matter how little they looked alike. I pulled out my phone from between my breasts, handing it to him. I felt a flutter of smugness as Nate's mouth fell open and he stared openly where my cell phone had been. Kathryn wasn't paying attention; she was busy talking to Mike. Nate took the small device from my hands, and quickly programmed his number in. He passed it to Kathryn, who passed it to Mike, who passed it to Jessica, who passed it to Jay, who passed it back to me. I grinned triumphantly as I shoved my phone back where it belonged. I pulled Nate's face closer to me so I could give him a kiss on the cheek, which was sloppier than I had originally thought. It also ended up closer to his lips than I would have liked. I stumbled over to Mike, and leaned down towards his ear.

"You know, Jessie really likes you," I informed him. He turned his eyes greedily to Jessica, then back to me, raising a brow as if to ask _Really?_ I nodded in confirmation, and then staggered out of the kitchen. I ran smack into a fuming Edward.

"Bella, what the hell?" Edward seethed, gripping my shoulders tightly. Though he was livid, he was so _sexy_. His hair was tousled perfectly, no doubt a result of his long fingers running through his hair. My imagination took over from there, thinking of all the naughty things those fingers could do… "_I'll find you in ten minutes, okay?"_ He mimicked my voice perfectly. I frowned. Why couldn't I do that? "Bella, it's been an hour and a half, and I've been looking all over this fucking funhouse looking for you. I was so fucking worried about you! What if you had been taken up into one of the bedrooms? Or you were passed out? Bella, when will you realize how in love with you I am? That I can't be without you without feeling like a part of me is missing?" He continued ranting, but I only caught the last part, and I instantly felt bad. I couldn't stop making mistakes. Ever.

"Edward," I started, but my voice cracked. His jaw was clenched tightly; I let my hand wander up to his jaw, caressing it softly until it relaxed only slightly. "If you love me even a shade as much as I love you… then that's a lot. But I still can't comprehend why you love _me._" All of the cloudiness in my head had disappeared when I made this realization aloud. Edward frowned.

"When will you ever see yourself clearly?" With that, he planted his hands firmly on either side of my face, and kissed me in earnest. I responded just as eagerly, sighing into his heavenly mouth. His tongue took the invitation and plunged deep into my mouth, exploring every inch. My fingers tangled in Edward's thick copper hair, securing his face to mine. His hands raked down my sides, leaving fire in their wake. A moment later, his lips were gone, and a grimace was on his face.

"Bella, you've been drinking," he accused. I frowned in confusion.

"No I haven't! I just had some lemonade," I argued. Edward shook his head sadly. "What?"

"Ever heard of Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bella?"

Oh.

"Yes." That would explain the wooziness and my extremely aroused state. Well, I was an idiot. At least I could come to terms with myself. "Can we have sex now?" I asked, watching as his green eyes widened in surprise. I snickered, but didn't take back what I had said.

"What happened to abstinence?" Edward questioned. I shrugged lightly, grabbed his hand and stumbled up the stairs. Though I was more aware of my actions, I was still turned on. And I had no inhibitions; the world seemed so open and I could take as many chances as I wanted, and I would turn out alright.

I pulled Edward to the end of the hallway, tripping once or twice, finding the last door. Fortunately, there were no awkward noises behind this one. Faint trails of a bass made its way up the stairs as I opened the door. I spotted a small speaker in the corner of the room, feeding the same music as the player downstairs.

_Stumblin' but yeah you still lookin' hella fine_

_Keep doin' what your doin' and I'ma make you mine._

_Well you're a hot mess and I'm falling for you,_

_And I'm like, "Hot damn, let me make you my boo."_

_Cause you can shake it, shake it, shake it,_

_Yeah you know what to do._

_You're a hot mess, I'm lovin' it, hell yeah!_

I pressed my body against Edward's, feeling how unopposed he was to my actions, and smiled devilishly up at him.

"Bella," he breathed as I wound my fingers in his hair and tugged his mouth down to mine. I slid my tongue to touch his lips, and he opened his mouth to me. Our tongues danced in harmony for a few moments, before I pulled away. I let my right hand fall down from his neck to his shoulder, down his arm before lightly wrapping it around his left hand. I brought it up to my lips, and gingerly kissed each fingertip.

"Edward…" I whispered, trailing his fingers down the center of my torso, touching my sternum, between my breasts, along my abdomen until our hands reached the apex of my upper thighs. He swallowed hard, his eyes dark with lust. "Touch me."

"Bella," he repeated, his voice cracking. I smelled an easy victory. "I can't take advantage of you."

"Please?"

******LEMON HERE******

With that last word, he broke. His mouth covered mine passionately as his fingers drew tight circles on the skin of my upper thigh. I couldn't contain the moan that came from my mouth. The noise seemed to fuel Edward's desire, because he pushed me down to the bed, climbing on top of me. His fingers moved to my throbbing center seconds after we were in a comfortable position. They danced delicately over the thin lace of the floss Alice preferred to call underwear. And for a moment, I was thankful that I had no choice in my clothing material. If I had, I would be wearing cotton underwear and a cotton bra. Although, I don't think it would have mattered to Edward either way… I felt pretty in these pieces of lace.

Edward hooked his pointers into the sides, and pulled down, tantalizingly slow. Finally, the material was around my ankles, then gone, and a slight breeze from the air conditioner teased my burning core. He started the circles on my thighs again, but this time, I needed more.

"Edward," I choked out. "Please, touch me… please…" He coerced, sliding his hand to my wetness. He ran his fingers up and down my slit, and I shivered with pleasure. My head lolled back on the pillow, my eyes closing on their own accord. Edward brought his fingers to the throbbing bundle of nerves, and rubbed it in circles. A strange, gargled noise came from my mouth at the sensation. His fingers drew down to my entrance, pressing lightly before moving away.

"Edward…" I growled, clenching my fists in frustration.

"Yes, Bella?" He asked angelically, batting his eyelashes comically. I didn't laugh. I had never realized before now how frustrating this whole ordeal truly is.

"Stop teasing me." With that, he plunged a finger inside of me. I yelled out in ecstasy; the feeling was unimaginably glorious. He pumped his finger in and out, and a feeling similar to a spring coiling wound in my stomach. His fingers continued his ministrations as he brought his head down to meet them. I cried out again when I felt his cool, wet tongue touch my enlarged bundle of nerves. He curled his fingers, and I was done for. "Shit… Edward… I'm gonna…" I felt the spring inside of me release, and I felt like I was falling into oblivion.

******END LEMON******

When I came to, my whole body was shaking, and I felt weak and tired. Edward's chin was on my stomach, looking up at me with a huge grin on his face. I squinted down at him, but the effort was too much. I let my head fall back onto the pillows, and my eyes closed again. Edward laughed at my reaction—I could tell he was pleased with himself.

"Good enough for you?" He asked slyly, already knowing my answer. I shrugged noncommittally. He crawled up over me, placing a quick kiss on my lips. "We should get out of here, love," he suggested. I groaned—my legs felt like jell-o. He scooped me up in his arms, and this time I didn't complain. My energy levels were seriously depleted. I curled up against his chest, and relaxed into his grip.

I heard murmurs around me—Edward telling Emmett that we were leaving, others biding him farewell, and Edward asking someone to open the door for him. I felt the gentle rocking of Edward's movement as he walked back to the Volvo. The last thing I remember was Edward pressing his lips carefully to my forehead.

.::.

The next morning, I woke with a splitting headache. Sunlight filtered in through the window, stinging my closed eyes.

"Ungh," I moaned, turning so I was facedown on my pillow. I heard a musical chuckle from above me, but I was in no mood.

"Bella, there's some water and aspirin here. Take it," Edward's voice ordered calmly. I held out my hand without lifting my head. "You'll have to ingest it somehow," he pointed out. I flung my arm over my eyes, and sat up. _Excellent, _I thought triumphantly,_ my arm does well blocking out all light._ I held out my other hand again for the aspirin. I felt the little pills in my palm, and tossed them up into my mouth. Edward handed me my water, and I took a few gulps.

"Edward, never let me drink again," I stated before collapsing facedown on my pillow again. He chuckled once more. _Stupid, not-hung-over boyfriend, _I thought maliciously. I sat up slowly, squinting over at the bronze haired god who always wanted me. I offered him a small smile, until the moment was interrupted by an entirely too hyperactive girl.

"Bella! I heard you had a great time last night! You're really lucky that the music was so loud— 'cause apparently, you're wake-the-neighbors loud!" Alice giggled. "We're going to get some breakfast. Coffee helps a lot!" She suggested, dancing over to my side.

"Dude, you've got to give me more time. I don't recharge in five seconds," I answered groggily, stretching out my sore muscles.

"You've got ten minutes!" I groaned, rubbing my eyes, and blinked multiple times. I stood up, stretching languidly, and trudged over to my closet. I looked down and saw I was wearing a big tee shirt and some cotton underwear. Which reminded me…

"Edward…" I started, turning slowly around to him.

"Yeah?" He was preoccupied with fixing the curtains so they didn't let any light in.

"One; where is my panty set from last night?"

"Your thong was left at the party and your bra is in your top drawer."

"Two; who changed me?"

"Me." I cocked a brow at him. "I figured since I've seen it all, you wouldn't mind," he continued, grinning devilishly. I rolled my eyes, and then returned my attention to my clothing choice. I located that UTexas sweatshirt Alice let me get, and a pair of plain white sweatpants. Next, I found a pair of warm boots that I pulled on, an unfamiliar pair that had a button on the side. I pulled my hood over my hair, and turned to face Edward. "Let's get me some coffee," I mumbled, before plodding out the door.

.::.

"Alice, give it a rest," Jasper finally said. The subject pouted, frowning at her soul mate. She had been going on about my newly existent sex life, and to be honest, everyone was getting tired of it.

"Yeah, we all know that Rosie and I are the masters of the bedroom," Emmett added suggestively. Rosalie rolled her eyes, but smirked, showing her agreement with that statement. I brought my coffee cup to my lips, taking a sip. The caffeine was doing wonders for my hangover. If Charlie got wind of my activities, he would surely be furious—not only with me, but the entire school population for bringing me into their sphere of influence. I scoffed internally at the idea.

Edward was watching me with a type of enthusiasm I thought one could only find in children watching their favorite television shows. I quirked a brow at him, but he was too enthused in each minute movement my body made.

"Edward, what the hell are you staring at?" I asked. He shook himself out of his chance, and I swore there was a tinge of pink staining his cheeks.

"Nothing," he replied quickly, his voice cracking. Damn, he must be embarrassed. I silently vowed to find out what was on his mind… some other time. Obviously, it wasn't something he wanted to share with the entire table.

_You will tell me later,_ I mouthed to him. He pursed his lips hesitantly. _Please?_ I unleashed my pleading powers that I had discovered once upon a time, on him. He rolled his eyes and nodded reluctantly.

"So Bella, are you excited for Wednesday?" Rosalie asked, breaking Edward and I out of our silent mini-conversation. I shrugged noncommittally. Honestly, I could care less about this damn ball that everyone was so hyped up about. I saw it as a chance for couples to flaunt their sexy partners—not that that's a bad thing—and show off how much money they had with their dresses. "So, Jacob, huh?" I glared at her.

"Old family friends," I reminded her. "I'm kind of really interested in Edward over here." I wrapped my arm possessively through his, and rested my head on his shoulder. He kissed my hair, and I closed my eyes contently.

_This is the life._

**Author's Note: So, good or bad? Did you think it was as different as I thought? It's definitely shorter, but oh well. Please review with your feelings!**

**xx, Bella**


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